Severus' Lily
by Snily3838
Summary: DO NOT READ BEFORE READING THE PROLOGUE: THE FOUR OPTIONS! Severus has made his choice. He has come home at last. He has his new life. But this new world won't repeat all the same scenarios as before. What new challenges await Severus and Lily Evans, or is their biggest challenge going to be...one another?
1. Chapter 1: After the Options

**Chapter 1: After the Options**

Nine years had passed. Severus Snape, nine years old, wearing what could only be described as musty, blackish grey and overly long rags, was kicking stones near the local playground. He lived in Cokeworth, Manchester on a small street called Spinner's End.

He hated his short life. Not many children his age tended to possess such a negative outlook on life. That usually came in another four years at the rebellious age of thirteen. But in Severus Snape's case, it was generally justified.

He had been the victim of heavily physical and mental abuse from his godforsaken father, Tobias. He had never been a pleasant man, admitted his mother, Eileen. But he was so possessive in a very charming way, she had melted in his hands as the wife he desired and _had_ to have; a trophy wife.

After Severus' birth and his inevitable, sensitive appeal to magic, such as summoning a toy across the room, Eileen had been forced to admit to Tobias that she and Severus were magical, and Tobias snapped and broke both their noses as punishment for being evil creatures of darkness, and dragging him into their sinful livelihoods. Not that one could call Tobias an angel on Earth in any case.

Eileen hadn't been allowed to take the five-year-old child to hospital, in any of the several cases that he had been beaten and had his nose bashed in by his father, hence why his nose was currently so grotesquely crooked and misshapen. The mental abuse she had suffered at Tobias' hands, not to mention his snapping of her wand made her unable to bring up the magic to fix Severus' nose herself.

But things had taken a very unexpected but to Severus, very fortunate turn: Tobias died after breaking his neck upon falling off the top stairs of his local pub. He had just come out of the toiletries and the only witness was a respectable looking gentleman whom had raised the alarm, but it was no good. Tobias Snape was dead, much to the bereavement of only one person, the owner of the pub; Tobias had been his most faithful customer.

Eileen and Severus heard the news, but neither looked horrified or distraught as the police imagined they would be; in fact, they looked as though they had a very heavy weight lifted off their shoulders. They were introduced to the gentleman who witnessed Tobias' death, and he looked deeply concerned for the two remaining Snapes, but Eileen assured him that they would be okay.

It was a week later that Severus was walking near the playground on this day. He was approaching it when he saw two young girls on the patch of grass nearby and the taller girl screamed when the smaller, redheaded girl held out her palm and to Severus' surprise, sprouted a little daisy from it.

Could it be that this little girl, clearly a local of Spinner's End, was a witch like his mother?

Severus wanted to learn more about this girl, but feared doing so. He had never approached other children. Most of them that had passed him by in the street holding his mother's hand, either mocked him for his pauper-like appearance or took to the hills in fear of the big, bad drunk of the neighbourhood, Tobias Snape attacking them for going near his son, who was, to them, bound to end up just like his father.

These incidents with other children, not to mention the abuse hurled at him by his father gave Severus another reason to fear going near these two girls. The taller one was obviously a Muggle because she was horrified that her companion was sprouting daisies in her palm, and Muggles had an immense negative impact on him, so he both feared and disliked this girl automatically.

Then the girl shouted: "Lily! What?! HOW?! That's freaky! I want-"

The girl stopped there. She was going to say she wanted to have a go at doing that, but she knew it was impossible. But then how could Lily do it?

"Tuney, I don't know how I did it. I just can." replied the shier redhead.

Severus moved closer by peeking through the hedge. He saw the expression on the elder girl's face. It looked scared, yes, but also, envious. It was plain for Severus to see that she wanted to be able to show off a special talent such as magic as this younger girl could do.

Severus took a closer look at the girl who could do magic. He saw her freckled but pretty face. He felt a pang of something. What that something was, he didn't know or understand. But to take a guess, he couldn't help but think that this unknown girl's face had a very familiar appeal to him. But how could that be so? He had never met this Lily girl before now. She hasn't even seen him before yet.

He shrugged off the feeling when he saw the girls rush away to home.

Severus ended up sitting alone on one of the playground swings, and all he could think about was no longer his dead father, the sensation that he no longer needed to be afraid in his home anymore, nor the joy that he had when his mother reinstated herself as a doting and loving mother once more, for the first time since he was five. No, all he could think of now was this girl named Lily. Lily who? Was she really a witch? They looked the same age. Would they go to Hogwarts together? Could they, through their similarities in the name of magic, become…friends?

Severus found this most unlikely. He was the oddball and the child of the most infamous individual to have lived around these parts. Not to mention his heavily mental scars would only act as a deterrent on Lily's part to be his friend. Two other things blocked the likelihood. The first being that Severus was not the best-looking kid, even if he wore more casual and bright clothing, mostly because of his nose which looked like a broken beak because of the several blows to it inflicted on by his father. The second reason was that the other girl Lily was with scared him, simply because she was a Muggle. All Muggles scared and infuriated him, because of Tobias and the neighbour kids' negative influence over his tortured childhood.

But Severus still felt a fascination about this Lily girl. He hung around the park more often, hoping she would make an appearance. However, whenever the girl appeared, she was in the company of the girl who was revealed in a conversation as her sister. Whenever Severus saw the two of them approach, even though he was watching for one of them, he swiftly hid behind the hedge. It was mostly out of fear of the Muggle sister…but he also felt sure that even if Lily showed up alone, he would still have hidden from her. He was too insecure to introduce himself.

Then one day, he saw them already at the playground, on the swings. The elder sister, Tuney was shouting at Lily for swinging too high…and then Lily flew off and landed softly and safely on the ground laughing with joy.

Severus took note on the fact that the elder Muggle sister had that mixed expression of fear and jealousy.

"I'll tell Mummy and Daddy! It's dangerous, Lily! What's going on with you?!"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Severus was surprised to hear himself speak up, almost automatically. He had a deep feeling that he had said this before, like déjà vu. Only it wasn't in the girl's case. He felt that she had once said "How do you do it?" in a longing voice once…but it couldn't have been. He was very confused.

"What's obvious?" asked Lily.

Severus looked at the girl he showed such interest in, properly, closely…deeply. He looked into those deep green eyes…full of beauty, no hatred but curiosity.

It was like falling into a black hole consisting of long lost memories. He saw the days of the past. The first universe he resided in. He saw his friendship with Lily, his love for the Dark Arts, his hateful ordeals at Hogwarts at the hands of the Marauders, the loss of Lily's friendship, his pain at her marriage and birth of her son, the loss of Lily's life by practically his own hand…and his lifelong servitude to Albus Dumbledore in her memory…and his death…and his options…the Four Options. The fourth he had chosen…leading to this…his second chance at life.

"Hello? HELLO?!"

Severus roused from his painfully nostalgic stupor. He was on the grassy ground. He was being cradled rather uncomfortably by Lily's sister, while Lily herself was gently patting his face, calling for a reaction.

When he was fully self-conscious again, he leapt to his feet. He scowled at Petunia in disgust as he had recalled her mistreatment of Lily and later her son. Then he looked to Lily and paled deeply.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"

Severus fled, as if for his life. He could not believe what he had seen. He was only nine-years-old. Even though he was remembering a past life, the horrors of it all was too much for him to handle.

Did I really do all those terrible, horrible things? Is that what I become? All because I liked the Dark Arts. Cos I... _like_ the Dark Arts?!

Severus ran all the way to his home in Spinner's End. He had to see his mother; had to tell her what he had seen…what he had done. What he must never do again!

He burst through the front door; pale, sweaty and shell-shocked. But what he saw next made his stomach clench in further surprise.

On the now clean settee near the large fireside, was Eileen Snape, holding the hand of the elderly gentleman whom had witnessed Tobias' death that night. But he was no longer the smart, Muggle, business suit. He was wearing robes of darkest emerald and was looking at Eileen with a remorseful and endearing expression.

 **This is Chapter 1 of Severus' Lily. If some of this puzzles you, please go to my account page and read the prologue to this tale: The Four Options. Chapter 2 coming soon.**


	2. Chapter 2: Eileen's Tale

**Chapter 2: Eileen's Tale**

Severus looked on in shock. The witness who saw his father fall to his death was a wizard? This couldn't be just a coincidence. And what was this wizard doing holding his mother's hand?

Eileen looked rather sheepish as she snatched her hand away.

"Severus..." she murmured quietly, "are you okay? You look very pale."

"Mum…what is this?" asked Severus in a throaty voice, as his mouth had become dry in the last ten minutes.

This was too much at once for a nine-year-old child to comprehend, even though Severus was forced to maturity early due to his stressful and painful upbringing. The memories just flashed into his mind all at once, and it nearly completely overwhelmed his already fragile mind. And now he was staring at his mother and this witness, whom Severus began to suspect, was not just a witness, sat together holding hands and looking rather edgy at his unexpected arrival.

Eileen sighed and asked the man sat next to her for some privacy.

"Of course, dear. I'll have a cigar." He said with dignified respect. He rose and exited.

"Severus, I think you should sit down." said Eileen gently, patting a space on the settee next to her.

Severus paused for a moment; did his mother pay this wizard to kill Tobias?

He eventually took his seat that was indicated to him and sat as calmly and quietly as he could muster, while Eileen struggled to get her words ready.

"Um, Severus…a few months ago…I received an owl with a message. Your father was out with McDonald and Smythe again…he didn't know. It was a letter from…"

"From?" asked Severus with a sharp pitch, wondering what this letter had to do with anything that was currently going on.

Eileen was going pale herself, but knew she had to explain quickly before Severus' distress boiled over into a lost temper.

"From your grandparents. From my mum and dad."

Severus stared. He knew of his grandparents, Septimus and Desdemona Prince. They had been from a pure blood family for centuries, but when Eileen had married a Muggle, they disowned her on the spot, and until Eileen's husband turned into an abusive drunk, she had not regretted her actions in the least, even though it had hurt her to know that she was no longer wanted by her family.

"What did _they_ want?" he asked contemptuously.

"They had decided not long ago that they wanted to attempt to rebuild some bridges with me and therefore, with you." explained Eileen. "It turns out that my mother had always regretted hers and my father's actions towards me after marrying your father. It took her all this time to try and make him see sense and to forgive me."

"Forgive _you_?" snapped Severus in disgust. "You only married the man you loved. Even if he did turn out to be a filthy, drunken animal, there is no crime in falling in love, Mum! You were blameless! There was nothing to forgive!"

"Severus." said Eileen with sternness in her voice, forcing him to stop.

She continued. "So, when that letter came, you have no idea just how ecstatic I was, how happy. I saw a way out for us at last. Out of the clutches of Toby and into a happy family again. You and me. Mother and son, loving. No fear. No harm. Independence for me. A punchbag to no one for you."

She began to tear up and instinctively, Severus embraced her, fighting the urge to cry himself, especially after his ordeal which he had not yet divulged to his mother, wanting her to finish her story first.

"I wrote back to my parents." she said at last. "Your grandfather was furious when he read what you and I have been through. Since then, we have corresponded to your father's drinking out with friends schedule…and we devised a plan. Your grandfather came here the night your father died, and he looked at the photos of him and viewed a memory of a recent beating I received by him to establish who he was. Then in some Muggle clothing, he went to the Clarridge Inn where your father was. He followed him into the toilets and Confunded him so that he would fall to his death, and make it look like an accident."

She fell silent.

"I didn't realize my dad would do that." she said after a long pause. "I really thought that my dad was going to Obliviate Tobias so that he would forget about you and me, then he would use his lawyers to scrub our marriage records and then we'd be legally divorced. But when he saw that memory…my dad lost all control of himself and planned the abuser of his daughter's demise. Hence all this." She gestured to the now clean, alcohol-free house.

Eileen then shuddered herself into tears again and Severus just sat, stunned.

As Eileen pulled herself together once more, Severus spoke up again, with a calmer but shell-shocked voice.

"That man outside…is my grandfather?"

Eileen nodded.

"Septimus Beresford Prince." she murmured.

"He freed us from that swine?"

"Yes."

Severus sat silently for a moment or so longer, when the door slowly opened again, and his maternal grandfather slid cautiously back into the room and Eileen gestured him to sit in a chair opposite.

Severus looked at the man who dishonoured and disowned his mother, at the man who condemned her for marrying a Muggle, the man who never showed the slightest interest in his only grandchild's existence in all his nine years. But he was also the man who came to find his daughter and grandson, the man who saved them both from a lifetime of domestic violence and degradation, and the man who was clearly showing remorse and concern towards both the people he neglected and should have kept in his life all along.

Severus wasn't sure how to feel.

"Severus, I know you probably have no wish to know me." said Septimus in a deep, dignified voice which was also laced with regret. "But I do want you to know how sorry I am…as is your grandmother, and I will endeavour in all my power to atone and to fulfil any needs you have in the coming years."

Severus looked down to the clean, wooden floorboards and said nothing. He then rose, still staring at the floor and sat at the dinner table, which was marked all over with rings and stains which were the tell-tale shows of beer parties. He didn't know what to say, what to do. But he knew that if he spoke in his current state of mind, nothing that came out would be good.

Septimus bowed his head in understanding and rose to his feet once more.

"I shall leave you be for tonight to sort things out with your son, Eileen." he said quietly.

"Thank you, Dad." replied Eileen.

Once Septimus was gone, Severus and Eileen cuddled again. They decided to let some time pass before the subject of Severus' grandparents came up again. And Severus knew he had to let out to Eileen what had just occurred at the playground now, or he would surely go mad.

"Mum, there's something I need to tell you." he said fearfully.

"What is it, Severus?" asked Eileen, holding his hands softly.

"I…I have been watching a girl at the park recently." explained Severus guiltily. "I think, well, know that she is a Muggle-born witch."

Eileen hid the expression of comprehension from her face. She knew who Severus was referring to: she had been waiting for something like this to occur ever since her son turned nine. It was at that age when his life had changed forever in his past life.

"She and her sister were on the swings and I tried to tell the girl that she was a witch, but then…but then…"

"Yes, dear?"

"I saw my past. My memories…and I think, cos of what I saw in the last few memories…that you know what I'm talking about." he said nervously.

Eileen stared at him for a minute and then nodded in confirmation.

"When we came back to life in this alternate universe, I heard this message in my head…to not tell you the truth of our past until the time came that you would meet the girl, Lily Evans again. The girl in this photograph."

Eileen drew out the picture that Severus took with him from the Ancient and Noble House of Black so long ago. The piece of the picture that once held the Potter family together, until Severus tore it to just show the love of his life. His memory of the pain of his loss of not just her, but of his rage that she settled with James Potter and had expressed joy at birthing the swine's spawn, filled him and he couldn't fathom how a nine-year-old child could harbour such cold and soul-wrenching emotions that his former thirty-seven-year-old self once knew.

"We were reborn in this universe but it was like I had been revived just as I was giving birth to you. It was magic I could not even begin to decipher or understand." continued Eileen. "After you were born, and Tobias and I brought you home, I found that picture in my coat pocket. I knew you might need it one day, as concrete proof that you had indeed lived in a different universe once."

"But…if you knew about us reliving our lives in this new universe…" murmured Severus, "…why didn't you end things with Dad before he could harm us?"

"Partly it was because I was afraid of what he'd do to us if I tried to leave him. Partly because I feared leaving him would alter your future hopes of reconciling with Miss Evans in this new life too much…and partly…it was because I foolishly hoped that this Tobias Snape was a better man, a man who would always love you and I, no matter what our heritage. I was wrong. I'm so sorry, Severus!" she cried.

Severus realized now that his mother had now been heartbroken twice by the same man, and in two different timelines. She had been so desperate to have the man she once knew and loved back, only for the same result to take place. And she put up with it until Severus reached the age to meet Lily, all because she loved him and wanted him to live a better life.

"It's okay, Mum." he whispered, cuddling her tighter than before.

Mother and son cuddled for quite some time. And not long after, they got down to the subject of all that Severus went through after her death. He remembered it all now. His mistakes, his sins and his life of servitude and loyalty to Albus Dumbledore, and to Lily.

"I can't go through all that again." he said simply, but with hidden emotion.

"You likely won't have to." replied Eileen. "Not everything that happened in the last universe will happen in this one. Toby's death is proof. And this time, we have your grandparents by our side."

Severus looked rather stiff about that.

"I don't forgive them, Mummy." he said coldly.

"Well, I hope that one day you will, but until then, Severus, please be civil and polite to them. Your grandfather particularly wants to see you do your best in all your endeavours."

Severus knew he had been a skilled Occlumens, Potions Master and duelist in his past life, but he wasn't sure if that would once again be the case now.

Eileen sighed and spoke.

"I know at your new age, it's hard to fully contemplate all the possibilities, Severus…but how about you take advantage of this second chance in life, and start off with two things?"

"What?"

"One: How about you stop sneaking peeks at my books about the Dark Arts. They'll just give you new ideas that could result in you pushing Lily away again. Two: Go to her again. Find her, tell her all about her future as a witch at Hogwarts. Tell her that she is special and will do wonderful things…and between you and me, with a longer stretch of life than the last."

Severus knew his mother was right on both ends.

He always told himself that if he could go back and choose between Lily and the Dark Arts, he would have chosen Lily. He already had a full set of memories containing knowledge about the Dark Arts, and he never felt the urge to use it after Lily's death, so he could easily quit reading Dark Magic books.

However, Severus felt more apprehensive about finding Lily again and telling her about her destiny as a witch.

He knew what the consequences were for Lily. Her parents had been very supportive and even ecstatic to learn about the world of magic. However, Petunia went on to become incredibly embittered by Lily's magic and not having any herself, and was never able to let go of her jealousy and hatred, even after Lily died. Worse still, Lily becoming a witch, and a powerful one at that, got her parents killed during the First Wizarding War against Lord Voldemort.

Severus then realized that with his memories, he could prevent many disasters, save countless lives…he could save Lily's parents.

He wasn't sure if he would be able to save Lily's relationship with his sister though. And he didn't know if he could let go of his hatred for Muggles so quickly, that he would be on amicable terms with Petunia next time they met.

But as he only lives twice, he decided to give it all a try under his mother's advice. He went to bed that night with a lot to think about for such a young boy…and he knew that his new life was truly beginning here and now.

 **Here's Chapter 2! Sorry it's not longer, I am hoping they will get longer as the story progresses over time. Hope it's to all your liking! Chapter 3 coming soon.**


	3. Chapter 3: The Heaven Interval

**Chapter 3: The Heaven Interval**

Days passed, and despite Eileen's best efforts to perk up Severus' spirits, he refused to leave the confines of his bedroom. Although Severus himself was gloomy, the house he once looked upon as a Hellish mess; grotesque, rankly smelly and darkly dilapidated, was now a much-improved environment.

Every beer bottle was gone, all the floorboards in every room was spotless. Magic was used on Eileen's part to do so, the new wand she had been presented by her ever remorseful father clearly proved useful. While Severus shut himself away, refusing point blank to converse with his grandfather, Septimus spent a lengthy amount of time guiding his daughter in learning how to use magic once more, after several years of avoiding and forgetting how to use magic after Tobias snapped her wand, and for fear of his inevitable retribution. Also different about the house was the smell. The windows were all open, and the air took time to cleanse, but eventually, a flowery tinge began to take control of the rooms. The crockery in Eileen's kitchen was replaced and gave a homelier appeal as she cooked the meals and the table was also replaced and had no trace of beer stains or burns from put out cigarettes.

Severus, despite himself, never felt safer and content in his home before, in either versions of his life. He had never kept the place this good-looking even when he inherited it from his parents after their deaths, and if history had repeated itself, he'd have had no intention of doing so this time round.

What made Eileen upset, despite all of her newfound good fortunes and hopes, was that Severus was so overwhelmed with the return of his memories and the pains of losing a girl he had seemingly never knew or met yet, was too much for him to bear. His solitude was to be expected, but Eileen was hoping that Severus would try and connect with Lily by now. After all, that was why he chose to come back, and it was also her own chance for redemption, after her death and leaving Severus alone for his tortured life, let alone showing him no love or emotion or comfort in his childhood years due to her own torture and depression at her wretched husband's hands.

And, to put it in Eileen's internal words, she was buggered if she was going to let her son down twice over.

Eileen went upstairs to Severus' room with a lunch of spaghetti and pork sausages for him, entered without knocking and set the meal at the end of the bed he was laid on.

She sat by his side and stroked the long, greasy hair from his face.

"Severus…it's time for you to go and see Lily Evans."

"No." said Severus simply.

"What? Why? It's what you came back for." said Eileen dubiously.

"I know…but…it's wrong." said Severus with a tone of great pain at his own words.

"What is?"

"Her soulmate is clearly Potter." said Severus, his face scrunching with internal misery. "I would be stealing her away, just like he did. I will _not_ be like Potter."

"But she already has Potter in Heaven." replied Eileen, starting to stress out that her son was willing to throw away the reason he had returned to the woes of mortal life, that could easily bring fresh pain to his already tortured, immortal soul. "In this universe, _you_ can be her soulmate."

Severus listened, but found it so difficult to believe his mother. He remembered vividly about certain negative things about Lily Evans of old. That version of the love of his life had clearly shown him that she would never love him romantically, even looked down upon him. He remembered what he had seen that had made him truly lose his temper and resulted in destroying their friendship in his last life. It wasn't Potter's torturing and humiliating him, it wasn't even the taunts of all their peers and clear joy at his pain and misery; it was the expression, that little spasm of enjoyment on Lily's face when his grubby underpants were shown off by Potter. That was made him snap; the fact that his best friend showed the same joy as Potter and all the others did at his suffering…that split second of betrayal sparked his own, and yet he always blamed himself, because what he had done to retaliate was, to him and clearly to Lily, much, much worse.

Then there was the matter of what Lily had said to him in Heaven, that even if he hadn't called her that foul name, she still would have chosen James Potter over him, due to his maturity in their last years at Hogwarts. But that seemed to well Severus up with fury. Had Lily not known after her death that James still attacked him behind her back when they were dating? Had she not seen how devastated he was when they dated and James lied to her so many times about changing his ways? Had she not shown or felt disgust when she realized James had lied to her – that the basis of their relationship was a lie?

And yet she still loved him.

That was more than enough evidence for Severus that Lily and Potter were fated to be together…he well and truly lied to and used her, and yet she still wanted to spend eternity with him. There was no room in her heart for Severus. She completely friend-zoned him. Why should this Lily be any different?

Severus' mind was so overwhelmed. He was physically and still, to a lesser extent, mentally nine-years-old. He couldn't handle all this information, all this misery, all this pain…and without a response to his mother, he passed out, pale and drained.

After ensuring her son didn't just die on her, Eileen kissed his head and tucked him into his snug, clean, new sheets and closed the door gently behind her. 

********

Another week passed by.

Severus was still scared of what the future held in store. But he had eventually come out of his bedroom and spent more time with his mother again. Eileen was delighted at this piece of progress, but she needed to get Severus to meet Lily again.

But it seemed that she had no need to do that.

Severus suddenly spoke to her after their morning's porridge.

"Mum." he said timidly.

"Yes, Severus, dear?" she replied.

"I…I think I…I want to see her. If not for her love and friendship…then to help protect her in the future…make sure my past mistakes are never made again." he said with constant hesitation.

Eileen smiled and embraced him lovingly.

"I'm glad you came to that conclusion, darling." she said happily, kissing his head.

The Severus Snape of old would hate such displays of affection, but at this young age and finally having his mother's love again was simply too much for him to resist.

"Go on ahead, darling." she said. "I know you won't go to her door, but she will very likely show up at that playground sooner or later. Be back for lunch though."

Severus felt rushed, but knew his mother was right. No time like the present, and deep down, he couldn't wait to see the new Lily and his new hopes either. So, with slightly risen spirits, he pushed out the door and paced swiftly to the playground. It was 9am and he was sure that Petunia, prompt and young as she was, would want to go on the slide and swings before other kids came around to crowd up the park attractions.

Severus sat on the swings and waited patiently. He didn't have to wait long.

Half an hour later, he heard the giggling of two girls in the distance. Looking up, he saw Lily and Petunia Evans racing to the park, neither aware of Severus' presence, but this time, Severus was not taking cover. He needed to brave this time around. He had to face Lily this time.

When the sisters rushed in the gate, they heard the swing squeak as Severus gently swung by his feet. They looked, registered who he was, and both of their happy expressions fell.

Lily looked concerned. Petunia looked frightened.

"You're that boy who fainted?" asked Lily.

Severus didn't answer verbally. He just nodded slightly, his courage starting to fail him.

"You didn't show much gratitude for us trying to help you." sniffed Petunia contemptuously.

"I'm sorry." burst out Severus. He was partly sorry for the lack of gratitude and partly sorry for what he was due to divulge to them, and the bitterness it would inevitably cause for Petunia.

"Forgiven…I suppose." she said coldly.

"Tuney, don't be mean." said Lily, taking the swing next to Severus. "Haven't seen you around in nearly two weeks. Do you feel better now?"

"Yes." Severus lied with a nervous pitch.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, but…I need to tell you something. And I know you won't believe me, neither of you." he said, trying his best to not be seen as a freaky, disturbed and rude kid to them this time around.

"What is it?" asked Lily, sounding concerned.

"Have you two ever noticed that one of you can do things others can't?" he asked, trying to guide them to the likelihood of the truth he was about to divulge.

"Well, yes. I can make things move across a room to me…and I can sprout flowers from my hand…and fly off this swing safely." said Lily. "But I always have been able to do that."

Petunia looked disdainful at this, which to Severus' surprise made him feel pity for her.

"Well, there is a reason, and I don't think your sister will like it, and for that, I'm…sorry." said Severus, more and more surprised by himself.

Petunia and Lily looked at each other. Petunia showed beyond all doubt in her dubious expression that this greasy, poorly dressed boy was off his rocker. But Lily looked more inquisitive, but also apprehensive at the impossible foreshadowing of her sister not being happy about something concerning her.

"Well, what is it?" asked Lily gently.

Severus took a deep breath, and looking down on the ground spoke. "You can make things fly to you, fly off a swing without harm and grow flowers by hand…because…you are a witch."

Meanwhile, far away in Heaven, James and Lily Potter looked down on Severus as his new life took its turn. They were sure that if anything broke the mental lock in Severus' memories, it would be seeing this alternate Lily's face. And they were proven correct as Lily's friend was overwhelmed and he showed such despair at such a young-looking age. Then on top of that, unforeseen by them, was the return of his grandparents into his new life; a privilege he did not receive in his past life.

But it was what was in Severus' mind in the past weeks that deeply upset Lily. She recalled his thoughts of how he felt when she slipped out of the defensive, best of friends role into that of the ever so slight, but there nonetheless, mean and relishing traitor who showed enjoyment in the torment that he had endured on that fatal day when all his sufferings concerning Lily herself began.

She saw the despair that he felt at that spasm of treachery, just as strongly as she had felt at his own when he dubbed her Mudblood. She observed the nightmares the boy had only three nights ago of how he had been tricked by Black into being confronted and nearly killed by a werewolf Lupin, if not for James' interference. But then she had seen the memory of how Severus observed James and Black laughing about the incident. How Black had been so lucky and blessed to have gotten away with it, barely punished. How James was such a hero for saving the sneaky Slytherin Snivellus. How they laughed at how Dumbledore warned Severus to keep schtum about Remus' condition or face severe consequences, all while they were praised and only slightly frowned upon in return.

She had been unaware of all of this. She only heard that James saved Severus from some monster or other in the Whomping Willow's tunnel. But she had never known that it was Black's doing, the threat of Lupin, albeit not within Lupin's own control, and James' own sense of foreboding, not for Severus, but for his two friends that the whole incident came together and to pass. She did not know that Black tried to kill Severus, nor that James only saved him to save Black and Lupin from the terrible consequences that would follow. Even Severus never told her the truth, partly out of shame of being in James' debt, and partly because he knew that if he did tell her and the news got out, he would be punished or expelled by Dumbledore instantly. And she didn't know that Severus was still bullied by James and Black, even after the former promised when they began dating that he would stop his bullying ways towards everyone. He clearly didn't include Severus as everyone.

She didn't know…until the night she died.

At that moment, all the things James hid from her, the lies he told, the actions he committed behind her back were all exposed.

She had been furious back then, but she had more pressing matters to be concerned with, such as being dead, and the fact that her son was orphaned and destined for more pain and horror in the future she could not help him in.

Eventually, she had confronted James for his lies. He persuaded her to dismiss it for now, due to Harry being carted off to the Dursleys…to Petunia. Lily's indignance and sorrow at what her sister had become through her bitterness towards the Wizarding World had overshadowed her disdain for James' betrayal at that point, especially when she oversaw just how cruelly her sister treated her son.

But it always plagued her mind whenever she saw Severus, and on more than one occasion planned to truly confront her husband about how he went behind her back to taunt Severus and never told her the truth about what he and Black had done to him that night. But then she saw how Severus himself became a bully himself, using Harry's similar appearance to James as an excuse to hate and humiliate him, classing him on the same level as Petunia.

It hurt Lily to watch her former best friend abuse her son mentally, but also could not blame him entirely, but she could blame James for lying to her and for deceiving her. She sometimes felt that their whole relationship was based on lies, that Harry's birth was based on lies…and with that thought in mind, she now at this moment turned on James with severity.

"James." she said coldly. "It's high time we talk of the lies and cruelty you used to win me over."

"Lily, must we now? Severus has his second chance…we need not dwell on the past." he said meekly.

"Oh, but we do." said Lily, colder as ever. "I have avoided this with you for twenty-five years. It is time."

"But…what good will it do?" asked James piteously. "You chose me over him. You knew of my lies and what I kept from you beforehand when you told him you would still have chosen me if he hadn't called you that name. Why risk it all now?"

"Because you should have kept your promises!" cried Lily. "You should have told me the truth about that night in the Shrieking Shack. You should have been a husband and boyfriend of honesty and loyalty and true love. If you truly love me, James, and loved me in life…why? Why did you lie to and betray me, just as Severus and I did to each other?!"

"Because...I still feared him getting you into his good books again."

Lily could see that this was very difficult for James, usually so confident and suave, to admit. He looked positively distressed at this weakness he had bared in life, that led to him betraying everything that their relationship and marriage stood for.

"I cannot excuse what Sirius did to Severus." continued James, getting to his main point slowly. "Even I knew that Sirius went too far. I saved Severus, and yes, I admit that I didn't do so to protect him, as much as protect Sirius from expulsion and Remus from exposure and likely Azkaban or euthanasia by the Department of Control of Magical Creatures. But I _did_ berate Sirius at first, Lily, I swear…but we were young, stupid and on top of the world, especially when Albus overlooked Sirius' mistake with my swift actions. I am sorry for what the experience did to Severus now, too late, I know, but I am so sorry."

Lily was silent, waiting for the rest.

"And…I betrayed your trust and continued to harass Severus because…as I say, I feared you going back to being friends, and then he would have a chance to win your heart instead of me. Oh, I didn't know he loved you, but I still feared that you did, and frankly, how could he resist you, Muggle born or not? Sirius and I continued to attack him as a warning to steer well clear of you, and to emphasise that you were _my_ girlfriend. I was weak, pathetic and so afraid of losing you, that I lied to you to keep you with me, and never showed any regret for how I treated your best friend until it was too late…and again, I truly am so, so sorry." He broke into genuine sobs.

Lily could see clearly that her husband's remorse was strong, not simply for bullying Severus, but also for tearing the basis of trust in his and Lily's relationship to shreds.

"I can't say I'm pleased about all this, James." Lily said at last, her severe tone still intact, although her heart broke for James' insecurity.

"If you always felt this badly about all this, for which I do not blame you for…" he added hastily, "…why did you tell Severus with such…finality…that you would always have chosen me over him? You knew what I did…so why?"

Lily frowned in shame at the remembrance of letting down the man who loved almost as much, if not more than James did, so devastatingly after he literally gave his life to make her proud and forgiving. She _did_ forgive him, but…

"Because I did not love him that way." she said mournfully. "I am still so sad that I had to be honest about that to him, he gave up so much for me, he lost everything along with me, and I am praying to the Higher Ones every single day, that he finally gets the love and happiness he deserves in this new universe and life."

"But why me?" asked James, unable to keep quiet. "You said that you would always still have chosen _me_."

"Because…although my love for the teenage you, who lied to me and went behind my back has been quite obliterated…I still love the man who never lied to me afterwards. The man who defended me to my sister's filthy fiancé, the man who married me, the man who conceived Harry with me…the man who died to give Harry and I a chance. I love that James Potter."

James was lost for words. Lily may not have been particularly forgiving in life, but that lacking quality was clearly granted to her in Heaven. She had forgiven both Severus and himself for their sins, and he hoped that his sins would be atoned, not just in Lily's eyes, but in Severus' too one day. He knew that Severus still hated him deeply, and he couldn't blame him in the slightest.

Even Sirius and Remus saw him as the hero he was now. And they too only wished him peace and happiness this time. But James and Lily knew that Severus still had some time to go before he fully achieved this. After all, he was only nine now…and one day, he will have to face Lord Voldemort once more.

 **Well that was painful to write, the latter half anyway. Chapter 4 coming soon! Hope you all approve of this chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Sisters Estrange

**Chapter 4: The Sisters Estrange**

There was no doubt that out of all the possible things the strange boy with greasy, long, black hair and grubby hand me down clothing would say to the two Evans sisters, neither had anticipated that he would say to Lily the words: "You're a witch."

Petunia immediately scoffed.

"You're mental."

"Ridiculous." added Lily.

"No, it's true." said Severus desperately. "Please believe me!"

He didn't want to repeat the scene he saw in his memories where they thought him rude and mad, and left him standing alone feeling rejected and isolated. But he felt that perhaps it might be best…because by not being isolated by Lily later, after she accepted the truth, it had led to Petunia's isolation, albeit partially self-inflicted by her bitterness.

"Why should we believe you?" asked Petunia, though in her eyes, Severus saw a twinkle that could foreshadow jealous tears.

"Because…how else can you explain all these unusual and abnormal things that Lily can do? What _I_ can do?"

"You?" asked Lily, her curiosity sparkling.

Severus learned this trick whilst alone in the park over the years. He used his instincts and kicked off the ground on the swing and he started swinging rapidly in circles around the swing bars like an out of control millwheel.

Petunia and Lily shrieked, scared he would fall but then he flew off the swing, somersaulted and landed with a swish of wind, like a graceful bird.

"How?!" cried Petunia.

"Magic." said Severus, with a sense of pride at the look of awe on Lily's face.

"Is this true?" asked Lily. "I'm a…witch?"

"Yep, and if you want further proof, you shall have it when you turn eleven! On that day, an owl will deliver you a letter giving you a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." said Severus enthusiastically.

Lily suddenly looked excited. But Petunia was staring at her in shock.

"You don't honestly believe him, Lily?" she gasped. "He's obviously delusional after that illness he had. We're lucky it wasn't catching!"

"But how did he spin like that, Tuney?" asked Lily keenly. "How can I do all those things you find weird?"

"I don't…I'm not…"

Petunia looked between them both and ran away to her house.

"Tuney?" called Lily.

"Wait!" yelled Severus. He wanted to ensure somehow that Petunia would not get jealous and bitter.

But Petunia did not reply or turn back. She disappeared from view a few seconds later.

"Oh dear…" murmured Lily. "I think you scared her."

"I-I-I didn't mean to." said Severus earnestly.

"But…are you really telling the truth?" asked Lily timidly. "Are we really magicians?"

"Well, we don't call ourselves magicians." replied Severus. "We're wizards. Magicians are what Muggles portray themselves as when performing illusions."

"What are Muggles?" asked Lily.

"What we magic folk call people with no magic powers."

"Is Tuney, my sister, a Muggle?"

Severus sighed mournfully, recalling the time he had called Petunia a Muggle in an offensive, demeaning manner out of spite for what his Muggle father put him through, leading to his overall disdain for all Muggles automatically.

All except Lily and for a year or two, her parents; Rosemary and Trevor Evans.

"Yes." he replied after this pause.

"You don't sound pleased about it." said Lily, puzzled.

"I'm not." said Severus. "When I saw you that day, flying off the swing and making flowers appear out of your palm, I didn't just see fright in your sister's eyes. I saw that she wanted it."

"Wanted what?" asked Lily.

"She wanted to do what you could do too. She was jealous." explained Severus, a trifle impatiently.

"Oh."

Lily could see where he was coming from with this. She could see why Petunia would feel envious for her magical abilities, if she truly had any. She couldn't imagine being in her sister's place; being the normal one while her younger sister has special talents that make her unique.

"I must see her." said Lily.

"Okay." said Severus, but he was unable to shut out the sadness in his voice.

"Could…could we meet here again?" asked Lily. "It's just that there are so many questions I wanna ask."

I'm sure there is, thought Severus.

"Of course. Tomorrow afternoon?"

"Sure." said Lily, now unable to keep the excitement out of her own voice.

With a mutual smile to each other, Lily took off back towards her house, hoping to be able to straighten things out with her sister…and likely must explain what had been revealed to them both to their parents, if Petunia hadn't done so already.

As it turned out, she did.

As Lily came in the door, Rosemary or Rose for short, her mother, came into the hall, with a look of puzzlement and concern. From the other end of the hall and into the kitchen, Lily saw a distraught Petunia sat next to their father, Trevor. She was staring at Lily with a look of bewilderment, as if she couldn't understand why her sister would wish to pay any attention to the weird boy across the street. But upon hearing Severus' words concerning Petunia a few minutes before, it was now plain for Lily to see the longing in Petunia's eyes, and she immediately felt a pang of pity for her sister.

Maybe next time I see that boy, I can ask if there's any way that Tuney can do magic too, she thought. And learn his name, now I think of it.

"Lilykins." said Rose. "Petunia has just told us that she and yourself met that boy you tried to help a couple of weeks ago again and he started to give you the impression that you had magic powers. Is that so?"

"Y-yes." said Lily.

"Do you believe him?" asked Rose, with disbelief in her tone.

"I'm not sure." admitted Lily. "But he has a point, Mummy. How can I do the things I have done? Like summon my dollies from the other side of my room, or from upstairs. You remember, Mummy?"

Rose did remember that particular occasion and she could never fathom how it was done. But now, thinking of that time, she found herself starting to believe this boy she had never met before as well.

"Sit down at the table, Lilykins." gestured Rose, and Lily sat between her and her father.

"If what you and what this boy has told you is true…if you are indeed a…witch or a magical girl…we won't ever stop loving you." said Rose, with strong dedication. "We will just see that you're a special girl with a very special gift, and we will find it wonderful to see where these powers will take you."

"Indeed, Lily." agreed Trevor. "Maybe when you're older, you can fix the old camper with your powers or make it automatic in every way."

The three of them laughed, but Petunia was staring at them all, pale and as Lily looked across to her, something disappeared from the eyes of her usually affectionate and loving, albeit protective and nervous sister. The gleam of innocent sibling love had faded. All that was left on Petunia's face was coldness and the most obvious look of jealousy.

Without a word, Petunia rose from her seat and walked quietly to her bedroom. But Rose and Trevor didn't notice. They embraced Lily and smiled.

"I think we need to have a word with this boy though, Lily." said Trevor. "What's his name, anyway?"

"I…I don't know." said Lily foolishly.

"Hmm, that doesn't bode well for what he has said. He could just as well be a bully, who's making fun of you." said Rose dubiously.

"I don't think he is." said Lily, trying to hide the hurt in her face and voice. She really didn't like the look on her sister's face, and she intended to put an end to it. She wanted to patch it up.

"Well, nevertheless, we need to meet the boy. Maybe his parents too and straighten this all out properly." said Trevor.

"Can I go upstairs now, Dad?"

"Yes, I understand you need to do some thinking."

So Lily went up the stairs, but she had no intention to think alone. She needed to talk to Petunia.

Petunia's room was the first door facing the top of the stairs. The room to the left at an angle was the bathroom. The two doors to the right were the master bedroom where Rose and Trevor slept and the one next to it, facing the bathroom was Lily's room. The door between the master bedroom and Petunia's, was a cramped space that kept the boiler, and on two shelves above it, were where the family kept their bathroom towels, so they would always be warm following a bath.

Lily knocked gently on her sister's door. There was no reply.

"Tuney…please open the door." said Lily.

Still no answer.

"Tuney, please…I'm scared." mumbled Lily nervously. "I'm scared that boy may be lying. I'm scared of what being a witch means. They used to burn them. What if the neighbours find out and burn me if it's true? Please, Tuney! I need you!"

She started crying, and then the door opened, after the sound of a bolt pulled back. Petunia looked at her sister, and let her enter the room.

As Lily sat on the end of Petunia's pink bedsheets, as was their usual custom when visiting one another's rooms, she looked up at her protective elder sister.

Petunia had a creased forehead, suggesting she was indeed worried about her sister being burned at the stake, but on the other hand, the loving gleam in her eyes was still vacant.

"Tuney…"

"I won't let you get burned." she said.

Lily desperately wanted to hug Petunia, but was repelled from doing so because of the lack of compassion in her face.

"Always were the better of us." mumbled Petunia.

"W-what?" stuttered Lily.

"You were always the better sister." said Petunia shakily, as if she wanted to say this for ages. "You had the prettier eyes, Mum said. She said no-one's eyes ever looked more beautiful to her…and your hair was perfect…and you always looked 'so beautiful, so perfect' in your clothes. In other words, Mum and Dad always thought you're the better looking out of us two…and you're only nine. I'm eleven. My friend, Lacie said that I am deve-"

She was going to say she was developing earlier than her other classmates, but was not at all comfortable saying as much in front of her little sister.

"And now…you seem to have everyone convinced, thanks to that awful boy, that you have magical powers. Yet another special thing about Perfect Lily to out-do me. To make me seem like a lesser person compared to you, I'm more of a Plain Petunia than ever now. I hope that boy is lying! Then you won't be any more special than me, and you won't have to worry about being burnt and then you can just…just…stop making me feel worthless!"

"B-but…you never told me I made you feel…bad." mumbled Lily, her tears refreshing down her cheeks.

"I tried to be a good big sister. I took you to play, I even kept your hair smooth and long to keep Mum and Dad happy. But since you wanna believe in some weirdo down the road, who looks like he has never had a bath in his life, about being magical, you don't seem to appreciate everything I do for you! You're ungrateful and selfish! I will protect you from being burned at the stake, Lily. But that's all I'll ever do for you again! Now leave my room!"

Lily didn't need to be told twice. Her sister's outburst was equally matched with the venom in her voice and the coldness of her eyes, and so she fled from her sister's bedroom and ran to her own room, shut and slid the bolt in, leapt onto her bed, also with pink sheets, and cried into her pillows. She now realized all those wonderful compliments she received almost every day from her parents were also harsh blows to her elder sister's confidence, and the possibility of being a witch, something that her parents seemed to think was a wonderful gift that made her even more special than she already was, seemed to be the last straw for Petunia.

Lily now knew that if what that boy had said back at the playground was true, that she was indeed a witch, she was going to gain a new outlook on life, but in the process, she would lose the big sister she had grown to love, admire and look up to all nine years of her life.

It was several weeks later.

Severus was introduced to Lily's parents a few days after he told Lily she was a witch. He noticed with dismay that when he and Lily met at the park again, Petunia wasn't with her. Prior to the meeting with her parents, Lily made it very clear that if he was lying and brought this rift between her and her sister for nothing, he would regret it.

Severus couldn't imagine how a nine-year-old girl could make him regret anything, as opposed to how he made himself regret things in his other life, but as he didn't want to lose Lily this time, and as he was also nine, he believed her with a fearful expression.

After explaining to Lily's parents about magic, Hogwarts, and about the letter she would get at the age of eleven to got to the famous school, they came to believe him more and more. He omitted the prejudice against Muggle borns. But he decided that was a private discussion between himself and Lily for another time, when they were better friends, and this time he would not lie to her.

However, her parents were still finding it hard to accept that witches and wizards were able to hide out in the world, and that no-one knows about them. They asked Severus for a demonstration of magic, but after explaining for the umpteenth time that children his age were not allowed to do purposeful magic, he invited his mother to vouch in his favour about the existence of magic.

Eileen was only too happy to oblige her son. But she invited Lily and her parents to her house, as it would not seem unusual for magic to be performed willingly in her house, as opposed to a Muggle residence.

She showed off some magic. She showed the Summoning Charm that Lily subconsciously used in her life. She also used the Levitation Charm and the Tickling Hex, which apart from raucous laughter that only ceased when the caster of the spell chose to, was harmless. She demonstrated this on Severus, who hadn't laughed voluntarily in a long time, and Eileen was delighted to hear him do so once more.

Lily liked Severus laughing and smiling. She was growing fond of him, and these demonstrations had proven beyond all doubt in hers and her parents' minds that magic existed and Lily was indeed a witch, albeit Muggle born.

Severus insisted to Eileen not to bring up the subject of the differences in magical blood.

As those weeks passed, Lily and Severus became closer, and Eileen, Rose and Trevor became firm friends. But where Lily and Severus' relationship grew…the relationship between Lily and Petunia became almost non-existent.

It made Lily feel very forlorn. She tried telling her parents about it, but they felt that Petunia was just being silly and would soon come round to the idea of her sister being magical, but Severus knew that unless he managed to alter things, that would never happen.

He had spoken to Lily a couple of times about the matter. He explained to her about how jealous Petunia must be, to not have magical powers. Lily admitted that Petunia was jealous already that their parents seemed to favour her unconsciously in Petunia's eyes, and now being magic made her all the more upset.

Once the Statute of Secrecy was explained to Lily, she realized that she needn't worry about being burned at the stake, but chose not to tell Petunia this, or the last thing that held them together would sever and they could very well be estranged forever.

One day, Severus and Lily were chatting about all sorts of things magical, particularly other beings. Goblins at Gringotts. House elves within rich wizarding families; Lily wasn't particularly keen on the idea of wizards keeping elves as slaves. Then they got down to the subject of Dementors, and then hearing a rustle behind them, Severus suddenly realized that this was in one of his restored memories…the day he hurt Petunia and planted a seed of distrust within Lily…prior to Hogwarts and James Potter.

He had no intention of letting Petunia get to him again, nor let her run away. He had to put things right with her and Lily.

"Tuney!" cried Lily when she saw Petunia was spying on them.

Petunia's curiosity had eventually gotten the best of her. She spent most days sulking in her room or going to Lacie's house for the day, but not explaining why she was so miserable lately. But after her parents became good friends with the Snape boy's mother, and seeing just how close Lily and Snape had become as well, she wanted to see and hear for herself about this magic world her family now seemed to have accepted…and what she now wanted too.

Petunia, having seen she was caught, tried to flee, like before.

Before Lily could call her back, Severus spoke first.

"Petunia, wait!"

She froze, then swung round on Severus.

"What? I never said you could talk to me!" she snapped furiously.

Ignoring the irate elder, Severus prepared to speak as kindly as he could, and with difficulty, considering she was a Muggle, worst yet, a rude Muggle whom seemed to outcast magic just as much as Tobias used to.

At last, he spoke hoping he would not regret this.

"Um, please, Petunia…would you care to join us?"

 **There's Chapter 4. Sorry it's a day or two late and slightly shorter than the last chapter. Hope this story continues to be to all your liking, and I will update again, hopefully next Thursday. Please review, thanks for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5: The Repentant Grandparents

**Chapter 5: The Repentant Grandparents**

Petunia looked at the hopeful Lily and the restrained Severus. Severus had just invited her to partake in their conversation about magic, Hogwarts and the many creatures of their unique world.

"Why would I want to join you and talk about this…this frea-?"

"Don't!" shouted Severus, making both girls jump back. "Please, don't say it."

He looked so earnest and worried about the consequences of her saying 'freakish world', Petunia was disarmed for words completely.

"Just please give it a chance, Petunia." said Lily softly and timidly. Fortunately, Severus' interruption had muffled the word that was about to pour from Petunia's angered mouth.

Petunia wasn't sure if she wanted to learn more. She chose to spy on them out of weakness, and regretted it the second she learned of the horrible sounding Dementors, and the fact that there are magical creatures out there that she hasn't heard of or seen before. It was making her more and more jealous of her sister.

"I…" she hesitated.

"Petunia, I can see you're jealous." said Lily, slowly approaching her. "And I am sorry. But maybe it's not as bad as you think. You can still be involved through me. It's not like you'll be shut out entirely from all this. Mum and Dad love it all, and they don't have magic nor even seen the magical world yet. Heck, I haven't either! And I'm a witch! And you never know! Maybe you can write to the teachers of Hogwarts and see if there's any way you can join up! Maybe there is a way for you to learn magic!"

Those last words flitted up a hope in Petunia's eyes, which darted to Severus in hope of some sort of confirmation of the possibility.

Severus looked down. He knew full well that in his previous life that Petunia had indeed written to Albus Dumbledore himself in the hope that he would accept her into Hogwarts, but she was kindly, albeit tactlessly, rejected by a return letter from him. That was one of the few times that Lily had been angry at Dumbledore. She always felt that Dumbledore should have come to meet Petunia in person and let her down gently, but with some sincerity in his personal voice that does not come in a letter. She always believed that if Dumbledore had met Petunia to explain why she could not come too, Petunia may have been less cruel and bitter towards Lily.

Severus couldn't bring himself to crush Petunia's hopes when he was trying to make her and Lily's relationship last longer this lifetime, so he responded to Petunia.

"You could always try, I suppose." he mumbled, feeling guilty for stringing her along with false hopes. "I would request that should he read your letter, he come and see you to give his answer in person though."

"Why?" asked Lily.

"Well, if she does get a place at Hogwarts, he'd need to hand her an acceptance letter and explain all about magic and Hogwarts beforehand. And…if she doesn't get a place, wouldn't it be better to be told 'no' in person than by a letter?"

Lily and even Petunia saw the sense in all this. And Petunia's agreement seemed to confirm to Severus that Lily was right; Dumbledore rejecting Petunia in person would be more comforting.

At this new hope, Petunia did sit down with Severus and Lily, and Lily implored Severus to tell her all about merpeople. And Severus did so, but had to inform both girls that mermaids were not as glamourous as they were made out to be by Muggles.

As he spoke of the Wizarding World to the emancipated Petunia, Severus felt more and more guilty. Talking of such a wonderful sounding world to a Muggle he knew full well was never going to be able to fully experience it all as a part of that world was like dangling a Golden Ticket in front of her then yanking it out of her reach forever. But he felt he had no choice. He made the offer, gave the suggestion and she took both. How could he deny her all this and keep her relationship with her sister intact?

He was just hoping that eventually, by the end of it all, Petunia would come out a better person and accept her Muggle life and Lily's magical life and embrace them both as who and what they were.

Another week had passed since that day. Petunia and Lily had sent off a letter to Albus Dumbledore under Severus' instructions. He even ensured that Petunia requested in the letter for Dumbledore to respond to her letter in person, and hoped that the old headmaster would pay heed to it.

Severus was currently sitting in his bedroom when his mother knocked and entered looking rather apprehensive.

"Mum? Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yes, sweetheart…but…my parents are coming down together for a visit." she said.

"Oh." Severus was about to add that he would just sit up here and out of sight, if not go and see the Evans family, but Eileen cut in before he could.

"I want you to face them this time."

"But I don't forgive them, Mummy." protested Severus. "They left you to that waste of a man and hated you for it! They disowned you, Mum! They never asked you if you were happy and safe here for so long! They could have stopped all of what happened to us from ever happening! They could have…loved us…"

"I know." sobbed Eileen and cuddled her son, whom was also on the verge of tears due to the memories of Tobias, and the lack of grandparents to protect them both. "But what matters now is that your granddad came to help us in the end. A bit late, I know, but he did. In my other life, he never came. He and my mother never forgave me for marrying out of the purity of wizarding blood. They died after I did. It was only after my death, that they felt some remorse, but not enough to offer shelter to a half-blood grandson. These versions of my parents are better people, Severus. Please, like me, give them a chance."

Severus considered. He now knew they were in a different universe. And one of the most primary changes of this world was indeed the reformation of his grandparents, as well as Tobias' death. He owed them for cutting short his own torment, as well as Eileen's salvation and preventing her own death and saving her ability to use magic. He decided, if not for them, but for his mother, he would give them the chance Eileen felt they deserved.

He nodded.

"Oh, Severus, dear!" choked Eileen and she hugged him tight, and he responded lovingly.

And so, the next day, Severus came down to breakfast. He nibbled his eggs with some trepidation. He knew his grandparents would be coming down just before luncheon, and he was wondering if he would regret his decision. He still maintained his short temper, and unlike Septimus, this would be the first time he would meet his grandmother, Desdemona.

As he finished his breakfast, the last eggs tasting too much like rubber, Eileen held his hand which was ever so slightly shaking.

"We'll all be okay, sweetheart." she said encouragingly.

"I hope so, Mum." replied Severus.

He hadn't had time to tell Lily what was happening, so their meeting at the park would have to wait. And if she came knocking, looking for him, he would briefly explain then. Whether or not he'd send her away was another. He and Lily had become firm friends, maybe even best friends. If anyone could help him maintain his temper, it would be her.

At about 11.30 that morning, there was a strong knock on the door, and Eileen opened it. There in the doorway, was the smartly robed Septimus, and by his side, dressed in robes of deep green with a dignified silver witch's hat, with grey hair with slight flickers of the black that once dominated her thin head, was Desdemona Prince, Severus' maternal grandmother.

Eileen and her mother embraced so lovingly that Severus' heart couldn't help but melt in joy for his long-suffered mother. Septimus smiled broadly and cautiously looked towards Severus, whom hastily cast his own eyes in the opposite direction towards the fireplace, which was currently lit, due to the still chilly time of year.

Eileen invited her parents to sit down at the table beside Severus. Desdemona made no hesitation in seating herself right next to her grandson, but to show some respect for his own uneasiness, sat next to him where the back of his head was facing. Septimus sat between her and Eileen, looking uncertain.

"Well, um, Father, you've already met my son, Severus. Mother, this is Severus, and if you'd look up, please, Severus, this is your grandmother, Desdemona." piped up Eileen, hoping to get the ball of conversation rolling.

Severus obeyed and looked up. Septimus looked as unsure as he did, and Desdemona showed enthusiasm, but also like Septimus, uneasiness.

"Hello, Severus." said Desdemona quietly. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. And I can only offer my most sincere apologies that we were never acquainted before today."

"Don't go blaming yourself, Des." said Septimus sternly. "It was my pride that resulted in…" He didn't want to admit his own mistakes in front of Severus, out of shame.

But this only served to anger Severus.

"In what? Disowning my mummy? Never letting me know you and my own nanny? Never coming to check if we safe, sound, happy?!"

"Severus!" snapped Eileen.

Severus calmed and cowered. He didn't want to upset his mother.

"I didn't say all that aloud because I felt too ashamed, Severus." said Septimus after a moment's silence. "Not because I felt I shouldn't be sorry."

Severus nodded slowly, but didn't show any sign that he was willing to forgive and forget.

Desdemona spoke up again. "I know we may never be able to make things up to you, Severus. But we want to at least try, to make a fresh start."

Severus couldn't bring himself to reply or look them in the eye anymore. He sat in his chair and looked down at the table, his face concealed by his long, black hair, which was no longer very greasy, as he now wished to keep up appearances with Lily this time. And looking smart only worked in his favour where Petunia was concerned.

Desdemona took a shot in the dark and placed her pale hand on his. Severus nearly pulled it away in disgust, but didn't. He didn't want to disappoint his mother again, and Desdemona was the lesser of these two evils. She didn't want to disown Eileen. His fury was mostly focused on Septimus. He could barely blame Desdemona for never speaking up against him either. She would have ended up having to leave him, or worse, get punished as Eileen did. It was then that Severus realized how similar Eileen and her mother were; they were equally nervous around their significant others and were barely able to stand up for themselves or their offspring. He was genuinely glad that they had found each other again, and that Septimus had changed for the better.

He squeezed Desdemona's hand after taking it in his own.

Desdemona smiled with joy. Her grandson was warming up to her. It wasn't too late.

"Septimus and I would like to take you both out for lunch." she said softly.

"That would be lovely, Mum. Where did you have in mind?" asked Eileen.

"Well, we were thinking your old favourite, the Gobstones Corner Inn." replied Septimus.

"Really?" gasped Eileen delightedly. "I loved that place. I haven't been there for over ten years!"

"We wanted to celebrate recent events in one of the places we knew you to be the most happy." smiled Desdemona. "And if he has your appetite, I'm sure Severus will love it there too."

Severus nodded in response to that disguised invitation.

Within the hour, Septimus and Desdemona Apparated Severus and Eileen to a restaurant in London, hidden in the Wizarding World, known as the Gobstones Corner Inn, but not before Severus left a note on the door, telling Lily he would not be about until later that day, as he was out with his mother. He didn't tell her he was with his grandparents though.

The inn was very compact looking once they stepped inside. The floor was wooden boards with some marks across it giving a friendly, homely appeal as opposed to the spotlessness that a posher restaurant would dictate which gave no friendliness to guests, emphasising to them that it was just a brief outing to a meal and nothing more. This way was more welcoming. There were fires in every quarter of the restaurant, to keep the punters warm and the walls were coloured in every colour of the Gobstones. In the farthest corner was a curtained doorway, and above it was a sign saying 'Gobstones Club'. Severus could smell the fragrances of roasting chickens and richly stirred gravy throughout the inn. And the other customers had no look of disdain nor uneasiness nor even respectful dignity. He never saw a public place as friendly and welcoming in his life.

Soon, a smiling waiter seated them in one of the more cosier spots in the room, next to one of the larger fireplaces, and the family ordered their meals within fifteen minutes.

"My treat." said Septimus warmly.

Eileen tried to object, but her parents were adamant, and soon the matter was completed.

Severus tucked into some chicken nuggets; shaped like hippogriffs, centaurs and pixies. His mother and her mother shared a roast chicken, whilst Septimus suavely nibbled at some freshly cooked pheasant stew.

"Your grandfather always was a posh eater, Severus." whispered Desdemona cheekily.

"I heard that, woman." snapped Septimus between mouthfuls.

Eileen and Desdemona laughed, and even Severus could not help but smile in a smirking sort of way.

After the main courses, Septimus insisted that he buy everyone a dessert of some kind, and the family were only too happy to accept. Eileen had her lifelong favourite; pumpkin pie. Desdemona and Severus settled for chocolate ice cream, and Septimus himself had a cheesecake slice.

They all enjoyed themselves, and despite himself, Severus had fun too, and even began making conversation with his grandparents. He asked of their favourite subjects in school, how well they did, how they met and how they came to finding Eileen again. The latter was a testy subject, but compulsory if there was to be any healing of the wounds.

After two hours had passed since their arrival, Septimus paid the bill and the family left, given a cheerful farewell from the staff. The Princes Apparated Severus and Eileen back to Spinner's End and up to their house again.

"Thank you for a lovely afternoon outing, Mum, Dad." said Eileen sweetly.

"Yes, um, thanks, Nan and Grandad." added Severus nervously.

"We shall see you again soon, I hope." said Desdemona hopefully.

"Just owl or Floo us and we'll make arrangements satisfactory to all." suggested Eileen.

"Capital!" replied Septimus approvingly. "We'll see you soon, love."

Septimus and Desdemona embraced their daughter. Desdemona then hugged Severus, still too enthusiastically for his taste, but he didn't object. Being more tactful, Septimus merely squeezed his grandson's shoulder affectionately and whispered, "Look after your mother, Severus."

Severus nodded affirmatively.

With that, the Princes Disapparated.

As they went back inside the house, Severus and Eileen cuddled happily. The day was a success all round and Severus was making progress with not just Lily and her family, but now with his grandparents too.

After quarter of an hour had passed, there was a knock on the door. Severus opened it and saw Lily practically bouncing on the spot.

"Professor Dumbledore has responded to Petunia's letter. He's coming to visit us in an hour. You wanna come and see him too? Petunia and I are so excited! I do hope he'll say yes to her!"

Severus only nodded in response to the invitation, but he highly doubted that the word yes would fit into this upcoming meeting.

 **So here's Chapter 5! Sorry it's slightly shorter than the last chapter. I hope you all like it! Chapter 6 will be up hopefully same time next week!**


	6. Chapter 6: Dumbledore's Visit

**Chapter 6: Dumbledore's Visit**

After being granted permission by Eileen to visit the Evans residence to meet Professor Dumbledore, Lily practically dragged Severus to her house.

On the way, Severus felt mixed negative feelings of dread, hesitation and guilt. He knew full well that Petunia would not be able to attend Hogwarts nor be able to learn magic. He also felt he was mostly to blame as he had dragged out false hopes in order to maintain her sibling bond with Lily. Worst of all was the idea of facing an alternate version of the man whom turned him into a spy against Voldemort by means of his undying love for Lily. He was the man who used him to keep Harry Potter safe, only to learn the boy was meant to die all along…the man who died at Severus' hand, albeit under his orders. He still held a strong resentment towards the original Dumbledore, but couldn't help but feel grateful as it was he who recommended to the Higher Ones that he should relive his life in a different universe.

He then started to cling onto the hope that Petunia may still have some hope yet.

After all, history had altered in this universe on some things. Tobias died early, his grandparents emerged into his life and Eileen was now a much happier individual. There was always a chance that Petunia's life could change for the better and if somehow going to Hogwarts would keep her happy with Lily, then that's what should be given to her. He could only hope.

Soon they reached Lily's house and entered.

Petunia was pacing in impatience and nervousness. Her parents were sat at the table in the kitchen watching her.

"Hello, Severus." greeted Rose warmly.

"Come to see the big man himself?" asked Trevor cheerily.

"Yes, sir, ma'am." replied Severus quietly.

"Oh, do call us Trev and Rose." chuckled Rose. "You're more than welcome, Severus."

Severus nodded, but knew that would take some getting used to. He never managed to do so in his past life so far as he could remember.

The remaining time before Dumbledore's arrival passed insufferably slowly. Petunia wouldn't stop pacing and no amount of soothing words from Lily and Rose had any effect on her. Nor would they have effect after the meeting, thought Severus.

Ten minutes prior to the time of the meeting, Trevor Evans directed Severus into the living room and closed the door. This gave Severus very haunting memories of his father beating him, but not before shutting a door behind them, even though he had no intention of being discreet. But as it was the kindly Mr Evans doing this, he felt slightly more at ease.

"Severus." he said in a very serious tone. "Between you and I only, do you really think this Professor Dumbledore fellow will give Petunia a place at Hogwarts and the opportunity to learn to become a witch?"

Severus was unsure how to answer, but looking at the solemn look on Trevor's face, he decided it would be best to tell the truth.

"No, sir- Trevor, sir. I mean…" He paused to sooth his nerves. "No, Trev. I don't think so. If Petunia was capable of magic, she'd have gotten her letter by now. If you don't have magic, you cannot just learn to use it. It's in the blood, sir. The fact that Lily has it is only chance. I'm sorry, Trev, but I think Professor Dumbledore is coming here to let Petunia down gently."

Trevor inhaled deeply and sighed in despondency, then nodded several times to show he understood completely.

"Did you know all this before you encouraged her to write the letter to him?"

"Yes, sir…I probably shouldn't have given her false hopes…but…Lily and Petunia's relationship was falling apart cos Lily had magic and she didn't. When I thought of her asking a wizard teacher for help, she and Lily had hope…I just didn't want them to fall out forever because I came along and told Lily she was a witch." Severus lowered his head, his hair covering his shamed face.

The next thing he knew was that Trevor had gently pulled him into a warm embrace, gently so as to show enough tact not to force him into physical contact, considering the abusive relationship with Tobias. For all Trevor knew, Tobias may have done much worse than beating Severus…

Severus responded to the hug awkwardly.

"Thank you, Severus." said Trevor quietly.

"What for?"

"For trying to keep our daughters happy despite they're being none of your business. You could have left Petunia to wallow in that self-pity, but instead you gave her hope, and a person who fully understands magic to help her come to terms with the fact that she is not like Lily."

Severus looked at Trevor and was just about to speak, what he knew not, when the doorbell rang and his heart leapt in fear. Would Dumbledore somehow remember him? Would he be able to see his memories? He had to avoid eye contact with him, and besides, this visit was for Petunia's benefit, not his.

Rose hastened from the kitchen to the door, and opened it. She could barely comprehend the man before her. He was wearing a business suit, but he looked far from a man who'd wear one. His beard was tucked into his belt, his eyes twinkled jet blue and he had a very warm, friendly smile, quite unlike the stiff-lipped, stern and anti-social businessmen she regularly saw in busy streets and town centres.

"I believe you are the mother of a Miss Petunia and a Miss Lily Evans?" assumed the man.

"Yes, and, uh, I take it that you must be Professor Albus Dumbledore?" replied Rose uneasily.

"Indeed so, Mrs Evans. May I come in?" asked Dumbledore kindly.

"Oh, of course!" Rose hastened to let him in and shut the door.

Dumbledore entered the kitchen, invited in by Lily. Rose, Severus and Trevor followed up behind, Severus looking as uncomfortable as he had before. Petunia was now seated at the table, looking very worried, her thumbs twiddling with unease and apprehension.

"Please have a seat, Professor." offered Rose. "And would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please, Mrs Evans. Much obliged." replied Albus cheerfully as he took his seat next to the shaking Petunia.

As Rose made the tea, Trevor, Lily and Severus sat down too, Lily was next to Petunia and stopped her twiddling hands and held one, rubbing it with her thumb, in hopes of soothing her sister's spirits.

Eventually, once everyone was seated, Dumbledore, whom had been admiring the kitchen like it was a tourist attraction, cleared his throat.

"As you know, I am here concerning this letter that was sent to me by your daughter, Petunia, Mr and Mrs Evans." he said.

They nodded in the affirmative.

"Well, it says in this letter about how your younger daughter, Lily Evans, has shown signs of being a Muggle-born witch, and now Petunia has expressed the desire to become a witch too, and she asked me if there was a way for her to come to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to learn magic." went on Dumbledore.

They all nodded again, listening carefully.

"Petunia." He turned to her with a look that showed to her clearly that she was going to be deeply disappointed. "Magic is something that cannot simply be taught to Muggles. If that were the case, witches and wizards wouldn't be secret and hidden. We would share our gifts eagerly, as I wish Lily and I could for you. But as it cannot be taught, I'm afraid I cannot offer you a place at Hogwarts, much to, I hasten to add, with regret."

"B-but Lily was a Muggle, and she has magic! Why can't I?" Petunia was strongly holding off the urge to burst into tears. She still wasn't comfortable to show her emotions in front of Severus, nor this new stranger.

"Muggle-born witches gain their magic from chance, Petunia." explained Dumbledore. "One has to be born with magic in their genes. The fact that Lily has it and you do not is pure chance, and I am sorry you clearly feel so left out of the magical world."

"No." sobbed Petunia, but still resisting the evidently visible tears from escaping her eyes. "No. It's not fair. Lily was always the better one of us! She had the prettiest looks, the better hair, the most loved…and now I can't even share her talents! We're sisters! We should share! But she won't and can't! It's just not fair!"

She gave up and the tears poured.

Lily still clung to her right hand while she buried her face in the left. Lily was hurt by those words, but the fact that Petunia didn't recoil and take her hand away gave her hope that it was just an angry outburst and things would get better. But seeing her sister cry so freely and so mournfully indicated that things would not be getting better any time soon.

Trevor and Rose, for the first time, clearly saw how Petunia felt. They never meant for her to feel that they loved her less than they did Lily. That was never their intent. They never realized. But thinking back, it seemed quite an understandable assumption. They had always shown pride in Lily's special talents and her beauty. Rose couldn't even remember the last time she complimented Petunia as affectionately. She felt so remorseful and she rushed from her chair to embrace her eldest daughter.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart." she sobbed.

"Petunia, we love you just as much as Lily. We don't think less of you because Lily is a witch. You're our first born! You will always be a special girl to us, our first special girl! Being our first is what makes _you_ special! We are all special in our own way." added Trevor grimly.

Severus slipped into the living room, pale and trying not to hyperventilate. His stringing Petunia along and Dumbledore's revelation nearly and could still ruin everything between Lily and Petunia. He was sure it was all his fault.

Back in the kitchen, Dumbledore waited patiently for the tears to cease and for the family's embrace and reconciliation to disperse.

Once they did, though Petunia was still sobbing, Dumbledore spoke again.

"I once again offer my most humble apologies for not giving you the answer you wanted, Miss Evans. And I do so wish you all the best in the life you _were_ blessed with. But I promise you that not being a witch does not by any means alienate you from the Wizarding World. Through Lily, you will still experience wonderful things. I highly recommend you accompany your sister on her first visit to Diagon Alley. And on that note, Miss Evans, could I speak to you privately outside, please?"

He was gesturing to Lily at this last sentence, and Lily reluctantly released her sister's hand and followed Dumbledore into the hall, closing the kitchen door behind them.

"I decided to give you this in person since I was here." said Dumbledore with a smile still on his face, but a deep sympathy evident in his blue eyes.

He fished out a letter from his inside pocket and handed it to Lily.

"You needn't open it until your eleventh birthday." said Dumbledore. "It is your letter inviting you to attend Hogwarts. It will also show a list of all the essentials you will need, which you can collect in Diagon Alley."

Lily took the letter and tucked it into her own pocket, barely registering it.

"Is there truly no hope for Petunia coming with me?" she asked feebly.

"Sadly, no, Miss Evans." sighed Dumbledore. "Trust me, I would love to tell you both otherwise, but it is sadly what it is. Without magic in her blood, your sister cannot attend a school she would be next to hopeless in."

Lily wanted to snap at him for giving her a letter that emphasised her own ability to go to Hogwarts. A letter that she so wanted Dumbledore to give to Petunia right now, not to her yet. But there would be no use in it.

"Thank you for coming here, Professor. I think telling her this in person was the best thing." she mumbled.

"I believe so too." smiled Dumbledore softly. "I shall take my leave now. I doubt my presence will help your sister any, and your parents need to focus on her more than seeing me out. I look forward to seeing you at Hogwarts, Miss Evans. And of course, your young friend in the living room. Tell me, who might he be?"

"Severus Snape." replied Lily. "My friend. He was the one who told us I was a witch."

"He certainly seems fond of you and your sister. He seemed to be under some distress upon my arrival. Perhaps he knew the outcome of this meeting prior to its beginning. He seems quite a reflective young boy. Tell him I wish him luck at Hogwarts too."

"Thank you, sir. I will." replied Lily.

Dumbledore nodded thankfully when Lily kindly opened the front door for him. He bowed before his exit, gave Lily one last twinkle in his blue eyes and vanished right in front of her.

Meanwhile, Severus stood with his ear to the door. He had heard everything that was said between Dumbledore and Lily. He was worried.

Dumbledore saw through his dread. Though this was not entirely surprising, as Severus was nine and still was unable to fully conceal his emotions, even though he more or less remembered how to. If Lily realized this; that he knew Petunia would be rejected, would she hate him? Her father may have understood why he did it, but could he expect a nine-year-old girl to understand why he suggested her sister to write a letter, despite knowing the answers would not be what she wanted? After all, she couldn't understand that his calling her a Mudblood was a spur of the moment piece of anger that he never meant to come out of his mouth, and back then, she was sixteen. Not far off from being of legal wizarding age…and she left him behind. He felt certain that Lily would leave him if she knew.

Another thing Dumbledore said that had puzzled him was that he cared for Lily and Petunia. He cared for Petunia?

Back in his first life, he had never shown the slightest interest or concern in Petunia or her feelings. He didn't care as she was only a Muggle in his eyes, a piece of filth, just like his father, whom relished in tormenting him for his appearance. But now it was different. He did all that he did so far because he wanted Lily to be happier this time. He wanted her and Petunia to reconcile. Surely that meant that he didn't care for Petunia. He only did it for Lily.

But then again, said a voice in his head, don't you wish to be Lily's husband one day in this alternative future? That would make her your sister by marriage…you have to care for her.

And Severus knew then, that he did have to care. He had to care for Petunia Evans, and never lose his temper with her, nor judge her, nor taunt, retaliate or ignore her and her feelings. It was then that he comprehended at last, that he and Petunia had to be friends.

With Petunia's friendship and Lily's potential lack of friendship set thick in his skull, Severus could think nothing more than fleeing the Evans residence.

As luck would have it, he heard the consoling voice of Lily coming from the kitchen. She went back to Petunia after escorting Dumbledore out. He had his chance.

Severus slipped quietly from the living room, and dared a brief glance into the kitchen.

He saw Lily hugging Petunia, her back to him. Petunia showed no sign of wanting Lily to let go of her. Trevor was sitting in his chair, looking thoughtfully at his girls. Rose was stroking her elder daughter's hair, whispering consoling words. The only person who noticed Severus sneaking to the front door was Petunia. His hand froze on the door here.

He and Petunia looked at each other. Petunia looked confused, as well as hurt. Her eyes were bloodshot with tears.

Severus felt his guilt surge even more. He mouthed slowly to Petunia; "I'm sorry" and he slipped silently out of the front door, pulling it slowly to a close and made his way back past the park and to the streets of Spinner's End, towards his own home, craving nothing more than the soothing embrace and reassuring words of his mother.

 **So here it is! Chapter 6 updated early! Chapter 7 will be updated on Thursday or Friday. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review! Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Trip to Diagon Alley

**Chapter 7: The Trip to Diagon Alley**

A month had passed. Spring was turning to summer, and Lily had figured out that Severus must have known that Petunia's chances of getting into Hogwarts without magic had been somewhere between zero and nil. But she understood why Severus encouraged her to try. After giving her that suggestion, Petunia had become a sister to her again, and even participated in their meetings and conversations concerning the Wizarding World. She had even spoken excitedly about the possibility of seeing a unicorn one day.

But understanding or not, Lily was still very upset for her sister. After Dumbledore diminished her hopes into nothing, Petunia had become more of a recluse than she had been before.

She only ever stayed indoors now whenever Lily went to visit Severus. She only wished to stay with her parents, with who she now had a much stronger and loving relationship after they had realized how belittled they had unintentionally made her feel. This, Lily appreciated, was the only silver lining in the whole affair.

Lily had tried to console Petunia as best she could. She was terrified of losing her again. But Petunia never denied Lily entry into her room, nor pulled away from her whenever she reached to rub her back or hold her hand. She sometimes felt that their parents reconciling with Petunia was the only reason she hadn't vented her frustration on Lily again. But no matter how much comfort she provided, Lily could hardly get a word, let alone a smile, out of her.

Lily was currently planning on a visit to Severus' house for lunch. He too felt ashamed when she asked him if he knew Petunia would be rejected. He never denied it as he never wanted to lie to her this lifetime round, so he admitted it and offered her to leave and never see him again.

Lily was most indignant at this assumption.

"You will never lose me, Sev!" she snapped. "We're friends! You showed me the secrets of magic! We'll always have a bond through magic! You only tried to help Tuney feel better and for a while there, you succeeded. You two were almost like friends too!"

Severus smiled softly, but still felt guilty even now that he had strung Lily's sister along. Lily may have forgiven him, but he still felt bad for being deceitful in his new life; even if it was for good reasons.

And he knew that Lily's words were countered entirely in his past life. She _did_ leave him. He _did_ lose her, in every sense. In friendship, in love…and in life.

His depressed state was ongoing, and their chats hardly amounted to anything now.

Lily kept visiting because she wanted to change that, as well as help Petunia cheer up as well. Even at school, Petunia was unhappy. This was because she was coming close to the end of primary school. She was eleven already, and in a few months' time, she would have to attend an ordinary Muggle secondary school. And she had so badly wanted to attend Hogwarts…but now she knew that she never will.

The depression on both ends was taking its toll on Lily. She couldn't escape the dim situation no matter whereabouts in the neighbourhood she went. At home, Petunia sat alone brooding whilst her parents continuously felt bad for how they made Petunia feel for so long. And at Severus' house or wherever they went together, he looked and felt downcast, ashamed and seemingly certain that he would lose Lily. Not of course, that Lily knew that Severus had already experienced that misery first hand in a past life.

She wanted to somehow put a stop to it all, but she wasn't sure how.

After failing once again to persuade Petunia to accompany her to the park or to Spinner's End, Lily slipped out of the house to find Severus. She saw that the park was vacant, except for a couple of toddlers on the baby swings and their parents. She passed it by and went on to Severus' house. Each time she merely passed the playground and didn't play in it, she was reminded of how much her life had changed in the past three to four months. And it was uncertain to her whether it had all changed for the better.

Eventually, she approached the small house and knocked briskly in her accustomed familiar rhythm.

The door opened and she was greeted most pleasantly by Eileen. Out of all the people within the Snape and Evans families, Eileen had changed the least, as far as Lily was concerned. Of course, she expressed some worry over her son, but Lily always saw her as a protective mother. And she was certainly always friendly to Lily herself, and the fact that her attitude was the least altered by previous events, Lily was grateful and almost craved the familiarity.

"Hello, Lily!" greeted Eileen cheerfully. "Severus is just upstairs."

"Thank you, Mrs Sn- um, Eileen." replied Lily. She knew that Eileen was uncomfortable with being called Mrs Snape for more than one reason, and so she quickly headed upstairs.

She knocked on Severus' door and entered before he could reply. They had agreed that she need only knock and enter, as she was never unwelcomed, even in this depression he had put himself into.

"Hi, Sev." she said as she saw him lying on his bed with a vacant expression.

"Hi, Lils." he whispered, not looking to her.

Lily sat by his side on the edge of the bed.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Usual, I suppose."

"This isn't usual, Sev." she said moodily. "You're always unhappy now, after Dumbledore said no to Tuney. It wasn't your fault!"

"I strung her along and betrayed your trust."

"When will you get it, Sev? I am grateful for what you did! You made her happy for a bit! You gave her hope, and you even kinda ensured that Dumbledore let her down in person. My parents swear that Tuney would be even more upset if he did it in something as impersonal as letter! That was _your_ idea to ask him to respond to her face to face. We're all so grateful that you had the sense to suggest that! We don't hate you for that, Severus! We never will!"

Severus looked at her and hugged her suddenly, stifling some sobs that he had kept contained for weeks.

"I don't want to lose you!" he cried.

"You never will, Sev." soothed Lily as she cuddled him. "I promise."

Lily was rather surprised by Severus' outburst. They had only known each other for about four months, and it wasn't like they had been close for that length of time; they only became close friends after the first month had passed. Although, Lily could no longer envision her life without Severus. They were such good friends now, in fact-

"You're my best friend." she added, as though she had just had an epiphany.

Severus said nothing. It was just wonderful to hear this new Lily, maybe even _his_ true Lily say they were best friends at last.

They remained cuddled until Eileen called them down for lunch.

Lily came home later that evening, though due to the fully blossomed time of year, the sky still looked as though it could be midday. She slipped off her shoes and came into the kitchen, where Rose and Trevor sat.

"Hey. Where's Tuney?" Lily asked, hoping that Lacie had called by and persuaded her to come out and play. She hung her jacket on the chair in front of her.

"Still in her room." murmured Rose.

"Hasn't budged." added Trevor. "She had an outburst this morning, not long after you left."

Lily paled. "What happened?"

"We had a letter in the post from her school." said Rose. "It gave a list of local schools close by that would suit her to the ground, or so they think. I came up to her and asked if she'd like to go to so and so or so and so. But she snapped at me and said none. She didn't want to go to a regular school. She's refusing to even discuss it any further; refusing to go to secondary school."

Lily sighed.

"I wanna see her."

"I don't know if that's a clever idea, sweetie." said Rose. "She's very inconsolable."

Lily sighed and sat down, then yelped.

"Ow!"

"What?" gasped Trevor.

"Something pricked my back." Lily rose and searched her jacket pocket. Out of it was a bent envelope, the tip having been what poked her.

It was her letter from Hogwarts.

It was then that Lily realized that she had never opened it after Dumbledore gave it to her. Knowing that Petunia was not here to watch her open the letter she had wanted herself, Lily opened it and looked at her invite to Hogwarts. On the letter, it said: _Find attached a list of all the equipment that first year students will require for their classes and vice versa._

Lily eagerly glimpsed at her list. A pewter cauldron, a wand, various ingredients for Potions class, some dragon hide gloves for Herbology and if wanted, a pet; under the condition that it be either an owl, a cat or a toad.

Lily was intrigued. She wondered which pet would be best.

She could never see herself holding a toad. She loved cats, but she wondered if an owl would be useful. She decided she would ask Severus which would be the best.

Then she had an idea.

"Mum, Dad. Can we go to London with the Snapes someday soon to buy these things?" She showed them the list.

"But you won't be going to Hogwarts for over a year yet." said Trevor puzzledly.

"But I think a trip to a wizarding environment might cheer Sev and Tuney up." said Lily desperately.

"It might cheer Severus up." said Rose. "But I don't know about Petunia, sweetheart. For all we know, a trip to a place where _you_ can get magic things for school may only make her even more upset."

"It's all I can think of." said Lily. "And Professor Dumbledore _did_ say that Tuney could learn to enjoy the magical world through me. Maybe interacting with the wizarding world will make her feel better. It might not be what she wants, but it's the best I can do! I so wanted her to get into Hogwarts!" She was starting to cry. "I want more than anything for her to have what she wanted. But I can't. I just can't. I'd do anything to be able to share my magic with her! I would!"

She burst into tears and her mother cradled her in a tight hug.

"Okay, honey." murmured Rose softly. "We'll arrange it with Eileen."

Lily brightened up after five minutes of long suppressed sobbing. It had been building up inside her ever since her sister and best friend began feeling depressed. She hoped desperately that this upcoming trip to London would make all the difference.

A few more weeks passed, and mid-July had set in.

Eileen had agreed to escort the Evans family to Diagon Alley, but said that they would not be allowed to purchase the wand until Lily was of age to possess one, and there would be no point in buying Potions ingredients or a big cauldron, that would take up space in their home, only for them to lay around unused. However, they could always buy the gloves and the pet. Severus had recommended that Lily buy an owl.

"We can send messages to each other at night time or early mornings to arrange rendezvouses." he said excitedly.

After being named her best friend, Severus' attitude became friendly and slightly more cheerful again. Eileen was as delighted as Lily at the change in her son. Ever since obtaining her friendship, he had more reason to be happy, although he was still haunted by nightmares of his past life. She and her parents had been brewing Dreamless Sleep Potions for him, and they worked, but whenever he tried to sleep without one, the nightmares returned.

As for Lily, she and her parents agreed on the date of July the 18th to go to Diagon Alley. Eileen suggested that her parents bring all the money they had saved up for Lily with them to convert into wizarding money at Gringotts Bank, which she explained were Knuts for bronze, Sickles for silver and Galleons for gold. Her parents agreed to take most of it, but keep some in her current bank account as she will still live in a Muggle society over the holidays, and will likely buy Muggle things for gifts.

When Lily told Petunia of the trip, she found that Petunia took a lot of persuading. After begging her for half an hour, Lily snapped.

"Tuney, I can only offer you a trip to a wizarding place! I dunno what else to do!" she sobbed. "I wanted you to be a witch too more than anything! I wanted us to share this together! But I can't! No matter how much I want to, I cannot help what I am and what you are not! All I can do is share the world of magic with you, if you let me!"

"What would I do there?" sniffled Petunia. "Watch you and Seve- I mean Snape, go there and have so much fun buying magical stuff for your magical school! The school I was denied, outcast from!"

"And I'm SORRY!" cried Lily. "I WANTED YOU TO COME TOO! I WANTED YOU HAPPY! ALL I EVER WANTED WAS FOR US TO BE HAPPY! TO BE SISTERS FOREVER! BUT NOW YOU'RE GONNA HATE ME AND ABANDON ME COS I HAVE TO LEAVE YOU HERE WHILE I PRACTICE MAGIC!"

Lily cried hard, shaking all over and she slid to the floor, weeping like the poor little child she was.

Petunia's heart clenched with regret. Her bitterness was losing her Lily; her only sister. She couldn't lose her. No matter how much she resented her, she couldn't bear the idea of estranging from Lily. Those few weeks she showed hatred for her when learning she was a witch were deeply painful, not just for Lily, but for her as well. She refused to admit it to herself because of her childish stubbornness, but now she could see what she was doing to Lily. And deep down, especially now, she knew that Lily wasn't hurting her on purpose. She couldn't help who she was…any more than Petunia could help who she was.

She slid to the floor too and cradled her sister in a rocking hug.

"I'm sorry, Lils." she sobbed, tears pouring down her face in shame.

"Me too." sniffed Lily.

"I don't wanna lose you, either." assured Petunia. "I love you. I just love all those things we talked about too. I have fallen in love with a world I can never have. It's sometimes like…like…"

"Like what?" asked Lily worriedly.

"…Like I've been rejected and cast out by an entire world." mumbled Petunia, her tears more defined than ever.

"Oh, Tuney." whispered Lily sadly.

The sisters cuddled.

"You're not. I'm a witch and I accept you. And I promise I will find a way to keep you involved. I will make sure you have some magic in your life, whether Dumbledore likes it or not!" she vowed.

Petunia looked at Lily…and smiled. They were truly sisters again.

And within an hour, the sisters were discussing at length what they would do when they went to Diagon Alley – together.

Both were unaware that their parents had been listening at the door for a while, and they now both had content smiles on their faces.

The 18th of July came. The Snapes and the Evanses were ready to go. As Petunia, Rose and Trevor could not travel by Floo without official Ministry permission, which could not be enforced until Lily was eleven, Eileen suggested Trevor drive them all in the car. His car, a 1965 Ford Fairlane, was only barely a five-seater, but Eileen's Enlargement Charm saved them a lot of trouble.

Petunia liked that demonstration of magic especially. She and Severus also got on a lot more, more than ever before. Lily had persuaded her to come and see him once again at the park in the sunshine and after a time, Petunia admitted that Severus was absolutely right about the rejection being in person. She was still resentful, but she shamefully admitted that she didn't think she would be able to let go of her bitterness towards him and Lily if Dumbledore had replied by letter.

Lily forgave her for this, but Severus had to restrain himself from announcing the shame in that statement. But he understood and this was better than what happened to the two siblings last time round.

But soon enough, he had let it go and he and Petunia were now firm friends too, but not nearly as close as he and Lily were.

After a long drive down to London, Eileen told Trevor to stop on a street car park near Charing Cross Road.

"It's just down here." she said once they vacated the parking area.

She led down the street until they came in sight of a small, dingy and derelict looking pub. If she hadn't pointed it out, none of the Muggle family might have noticed it.

They saw a sign saying: _The Leaky Cauldron_.

"Diagon Alley is in a pub?" asked Rose, whom did not approve of breweries.

"No, it's behind it. You'll see." replied Eileen, whom seemed to be over-excited for some reason, but Severus couldn't imagine what.

After greeting Tom, the Barkeeper, Eileen led the family and her son out the back and soon they all faced a brick wall.

The Evanses all looked confused, until Eileen drew her wand from her pocket and tapped three specific bricks, and they suddenly moved of their own accord and moved aside, forming an arch that revealed behind it, an entire street of shops, surrounded by oddly dressed people, clearly witches and wizards and the hubbub of chatter filled the air and distant screeches of owls punctuated the blurring hum of human voices.

"Welcome, everybody, to Diagon Alley." announced Eileen.

Everyone in the Evans family looked around in awe, particularly Petunia.

The whole alley was a shopping street with rather slumped paving, and out of every window were the most unusual objects a Muggle could ever have seen. Even the bookshop, Flourish and Blotts, stood out to Lily and Petunia as each book in the window had moving pictures on the cover.

Up at the far end of the street was a giant, white, marble building which Eileen explained was the Gringotts Bank.

They approached the front doors and the foreboding warning against thieves and intruders was read by all. Eileen halted here.

"Have you got the money handy, Trevor?" she asked.

"Yes, in this bag." He held up a carrier bag wrapped up tight. It was a considerably large wrap. He and his wife had always saved up well for their children.

"Okay, now this bank is run by goblins." continued Eileen with a look of warning.

Petunia and Lily were exhilarated, and failed to notice Severus' constant lack of excitement as it wasn't really his first visit to Diagon Alley, and any pretence of awe he expressed in front of them would have been quite transparent if the girls had not been so distracted.

"Goblins are not exactly kind and friendly creatures." went on Eileen. "They take their jobs as caretakers of valuable properties very seriously. They are suspicious of everyone and sometimes even reluctant to hand over one's own treasures and savings. So behave and keep calm and close at all times, please."

She looked at Lily and Petunia particularly as she said this.

The girls nodded to show they understood. They had heard Severus speak of goblins with a lack of friendliness, so they had the idea already that goblins were not a force to be reckoned with.

Eileen's excitement returned as she opened the doors and they entered Gringotts as a close group.

On either side of the long stretch they walked, and walking amongst and around them with official papers and books and files were goblins, and they were far from how the sisters had pictured them in their minds, but they were nonetheless intriguing to behold.

Eileen approached the desk of a rather aggravated looking goblin with slick, black hair. It had a name plaque on the desk reading: Grunor.

"Excuse me." said Eileen authoritatively. "The Muggle born witch to be, Lily Evans wishes to secure a vault and to convert and deposit some money into it, with permission and under the supervision of her parents."

Grunor looked down at Lily disdainfully. Goblins did not have any care in the slightest about wizarding blood and its respective views and prejudices, but they still did not like serving wizards, witches or Muggles alike.

"I see." he said leeringly. "And does Miss Lily Evans have her money to convert?"

"I have it here, sir." said Trevor producing the bag, removing its contents, with what looked like three to five thousand pounds and offering it hesitantly to Grunor.

Grunor's eyes sparkled in approval at being addressed this way and took the money from Trevor with more gentleness than he would have done ten seconds ago.

"Very well. Your vault number shall be 538. If you wish, you can visit the vault and claim any money you will need today within an hour or so." said Grunor to Lily.

"T-thank you, sir." said Lily with a higher pitch than she normally produced.

Eileen led the family away to some waiting seats on the far side of the bank. Then with her excited expression, she looked around as if searching for someone, then at last waved over two figures who had just walked in.

Severus looked to the figures and saw to his surprise, his grandparents, Septimus and Desdemona approaching them.

"Hello, dear." said Septimus as Desdemona hugged her daughter. "And you as well, young Severus. Have you told him?"

"No, I wanted it to be a surprise." said Eileen.

"I see. Let's find Gornon and proceed to the business at hand then." said Septimus.

Eileen turned to the Evanses.

"Do you mind awfully if Severus and myself leave you here for a short while? We should be back by the time you've seen your vault." she asked.

"Um, of course. Go ahead." replied Rose, still feeling uncomfortable around the many ferocious looking goblins.

Eileen could see this. "I'll tell you what. Take this."

She gave Rose some coins that she had never seen before and this didn't by any means help her essential uneasiness.

"Just give all that to the person behind the counter at this ice cream shop named Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. You can have a lovely time there; the girls will love their ices. But be back here in forty-five minutes or so. You do not want to keep the goblins waiting." said Eileen.

"Oh, well, thank you, Eileen." said Rose.

As the Evanses exited the bank, much to Severus' personal dismay, Eileen, Septimus and Desdemona led him to another desk where the Prince family's trusted banker goblin, Gornon sat, his hair sleek and dark, with a nose that could easily outmatch Severus' for crookedness.

"Gornon." greeted Septimus with a professional air. "I am here upon the business you and I discussed at length last week."

Gornon looked past Septimus and over at Severus and Eileen, with the same cold expression that Grunor gave to Lily.

"Of course, Mr Prince." said Gornon darkly. "I will need blood proof."

He produced a blood test that goblins often used to prove family lineage, and approached the mother and son slowly.

"Mrs Snape, if you will." he sneered.

Eileen hated that name, but with her plan with her parents in mind, she consented to the test, and the blood turned the approving colour, and Gornon nodded, before demanding the same of Severus, whom did as told, fighting the urge to make Gornon's nose more grotesque than it already looked.

Once they were both approved, Gornon led the four people into a private office and they all were seated. The office was filled with more books, several files over the desk and what appeared to be the skull of a hippogriff situated on the shelf like a trophy.

"We are here today for this purpose: to reinstate Eileen Snape her vault and allowance provided by her parents, Septimus and Desdemona." said Gornon with professional solemnity.

Severus looked between his mother and grandparents in surprise.

"All I need for it to be official is for Mrs Snape to sign here." Gornon produced a paper filled with writing with a dotted line.

Without hesitation, though with a grateful look to her mother and father, Eileen signed.

"I believe we also wish to convey a legal change in names." said Gornon.

Severus' eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"What?" he gasped.

"Severus." said Eileen nervously. "I plan to change my name back to Prince. I no longer wish to hold Tobias' name. He has failed me two-fold…" She winked as she said this. "And therefore, I see no reason to continue loving him. My parents have shown love for me and for you once more, and so I want to take back my maiden name and be proud of it. But I don't wish to do it alone…I want you to become Severus Prince."

Severus didn't know what to say. He never particularly liked being called Snape. It was the name he inherited from his godforsaken father, and he loathed it. He had no desire to keep it if he could help it in this new life. The only reason he did not in his previous life was because he was more devoted first to the Death Eaters, and then to Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix…and most importantly, to Lily.

But then again, could he trust his grandparents any more than he did Tobias? They abandoned his mother and left her and himself to suffer in abuse and poverty.

But he considered his meetings with them since their reconciliation. After he had told Lily about his meeting and lunch out with them, Lily had been keen to know more about them, and she never managed to, of course, because of his and Petunia's stages of depression after Dumbledore's visit. And Severus was unsure about Lily meeting them, particularly Septimus, as he may still have severe views against Muggles and Muggle-borns, especially after seeing Tobias as an example.

Severus then thought of what he had seen a few moments back, when the Princes and the Evanses first met. When he saw his grandparents welcome Eileen, he immediately looked between them and Lily, fearful they may end up prejudicing her and her blood, which would not have been difficult to deduce due to their Muggle clothing, but when he addressed them with his surveying eyes, Septimus showed no sign of malice or disdain of any sort. Neither had Desdemona. And now they were willing to let Eileen back into the family, legally, as well as give her control of her money once more, not to mention share the name with her half-blood son, whom they have admittedly shown care and love to.

Anything had to be better than being a Snape still!

"I accept. Thank you, Grandad, Nan." he said at last.

"You're sure, Severus?" asked Desdemona. "We know that you still have some trepidation, and you have every reason to."

"I will never be happy with the name Snape." said Severus sincerely. "Prince will be better, whatever the future holds."

Eileen and her parents couldn't have looked more delighted if they tried. After many tedious documents to sign, Severus Snape and Eileen Snape became Severus Prince and Eileen Prince, the latter becoming so once more. And then Severus was given another surprise.

"You are now entitled to a vault next to that of your mother's. An allowance has been prepared and with the acceptance of the Prince name, as well as your reconciliation, it shall be deposited with immediate effect. You can claim some of it for your day in Diagon Alley as soon as it's in." concluded Gornon as he shuffled his files promptly and sealed them away.

Severus looked at his grandparents in shock. He never had a great deal of money in his past life. Most of his income came from Hogwarts work as a professor, and he rarely found time to buy his ingredients due to his horrendously busy schedule. That isn't to say that he ever felt much joy in money. After Lily died, he had focused and dedicated his life to protecting Harry Potter and obeying Dumbledore's every word, and never found the time or the need to partake in some leisure time that came with a lot of savings. But now, he was in a position to possess and enjoy money in his youth this time, and that meant that he might be able to spoil Lily on occasion too.

"Thank you, Nan, Grandad." he said with sincere gratitude.

"Least we can do, Severus." replied Septimus kindly.

"Spend it wisely, mind you." winked Desdemona cheerily.

Eileen and Severus just embraced. Things truly were looking up compared to the last life, and Severus was growing more and more grateful to the Higher Ones and to Dumbledore.

An hour or so later, Severus and Lily had gathered a bagful of Galleons each, with some Sickles and Knuts.

Before they set out into Diagon Alley once more, Severus announced to Lily quietly that he was now Severus Prince.

"Oh! Congratulations, Sev!" cried Lily delightedly. "Sounds so much better than…sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Trust me. I prefer Prince too, Lily." said Severus.

And he meant it too. He felt that with his new name came a whole new lease on life.

Things only got better that day too.

After another hour of shopping, Severus and Lily had bought some books for themselves to prepare for Hogwarts early; not that Severus needed them, but as Lily couldn't afford too many, he decided to buy some that he thought would be of particular interest to her and would let her "borrow" them. Lily also gifted Petunia the book _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander. Petunia hugged her sister happily. She was beginning to feel a part of the Wizarding World in a different but pleasing sort of way already. She still felt sad that she could never be a witch, but she was beginning to accept being on the side lines and considered it a gift to even know that magic exists.

After that, they collected the gloves for Herbology, (Lily had bought a book on the rare wizarding plants) and then they went to the Eeylops Owl Emporium. Lily and Severus had agreed that an owl would be better than a cat, so that they could send messages to and fro.

Lily ended up choosing a snowy owl, not unlike Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig. Upon purchase, she named it Gabriel, as it would serve as a messenger, and it was also fitting as she felt blessed to have received the message from Severus that she was a witch. Petunia felt she would need to get used to having an owl around the house, as did Rose. Trevor, on the other hand, was most enthusiastic as he was a bird watcher and lover.

And at last, after having a hearty luncheon at the Leaky Cauldron, the families returned home. After a happy farewell with Lily, and a promise to respond to their first owl post to each other later that evening, Severus retired to his bedroom to let down his meal and took a brief nap, feeling more content and happy than he had ever been before. He was no longer Severus Snape, cold-hearted spy and teacher, and former malicious Death Eater. He was Severus Prince, son of Eileen, grandson of Septimus and Desdemona, and best friend of Lily Evans…and his new life had now truly just begun.

 **Sorry it's a tad late, but I hope the fact that this is my longest chapter yet will compensate for the wait. Chapter 8 coming soon. And does anyone want me to write previews for future chapters at the end of each one? Let me know in reviews! Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8: Eleven Years of Heaven

**Chapter 8: Eleven Years of Heaven**

Severus and Lily's friendship grew more and more strong as the weeks and the months went on. But even Severus wasn't being very thoughtful about the fact that he was being witnessed throughout his new life. Even when his memories returned, he didn't think that Lily and James would still be bothering to keep an eye on him.

But that was exactly what they were doing.

In Heaven, there was plenty for the Potters to do. It was Paradise after all. They lived in their home of Godric's Hollow in its heavenly version of itself, and even had wider spaces if they wished for it. They even had a swimming pool in their garden which they could turn into a spa if they were feeling romantic one day – simply by wishing for it.

They often had Sirius Black and Remus Lupin round for visits, along with Remus' wife, Nymphadora Tonks, among other friends. Sirius found his soulmate in Heaven, a former classmate named Marlene McKinnon, a beautiful blonde, with a cheekiness about her that only Sirius could relate to nowadays. Peter Pettigrew was not welcome, and hadn't even been seen after his death. No-one was certain if Hell existed, but as Heaven does exist and judging by Wormtail's life choices, he was surely there.

But one of Lily's pastimes, however painful at times, was overlooking the lives of the two men in her life that she still couldn't spend each day in Heaven with: her son, Harry and her best friend, Severus.

Not a day went by that she and James didn't miss and watch over Harry in their old universe. They had a lot to watch over in the last nine years. And some of those things had a lot to do with Severus, surprisingly.

They witnessed Harry's life each day, and the day he eventually woke up after the Battle of Hogwarts was no exception. Harry awakened after Lily was done seeing Severus off to his new life, but she wanted to fully understand how Harry viewed her friend now.

She soon had the answers.

When Harry woke up, he found that the bodies of their lost fighters and friends were being claimed and named. It was then that he realized. He felt strong remorse at once. How could he have forgotten?

He dashed rapidly to the Shrieking Shack, accompanied by Ron and Hermione, but he had demanded that they leave him to do this alone, so they waited outside the Whomping Willow.

Harry crawled into the Shack and found Severus' body lying there, covered in dried blood, his eyes wide open, as though he were still looking into the eyes of the woman he had loved all his life. That particularly haunted Harry and he wanted to close his eyes to make it seem like he was at peace at last. But he couldn't. There were two reasons for this. The first was that he felt that by shutting Severus' eyes, he would be cutting them and him off from Lily's eyes forever. And the second reason was that he couldn't possibly know or imagine that Severus was at peace…that he could ever be at peace.

Lily had wanted so much in that moment to inform her son that Severus was on the right track to finding peace again, but as he had dropped the Resurrection Stone in the Forbidden Forest and had absolutely no intention of going back for it, she had no access to the living world to do so.

Harry had carried the body of Severus using the Levitation Charm at first, but once he had him out of the Whomping Willow and into the open air, Harry carried his body in his arms, rather like Hagrid had done for him when he was presumed dead by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Ron and Hermione followed behind with mingled expressions of regret, pity and respect, as was the silence that occurred in the Great Hall when Harry entered carrying the limp, bloodied form of the bravest man any of them had ever known.

As painful as it looked, Lily couldn't help crying with joy at this scene. Through his actions for her memory and for Dumbledore's Greater Good, Severus Snape was remembered, loved and missed forever. She had seen what happened when Harry laid the body on the high table at the end of the hall. He raised his wand into the air, and was followed by teacher, student and aggrieved visitor alike. They all hailed the memory of Severus, and Lily wished he could have stayed long enough to see it all. To see Minerva McGonagall cry at the body, continuously apologising for not believing in him, Kingsley Shacklebolt promising to honour Severus with all the new-found power as Minister of Magic that he possessed, Rubeus Hagrid crying loudly shouting "Great man, Snape! Great man!" And to see the other teachers lead a memorial service alongside Harry the very next day.

There had been some conflict as to where to bury him. Harry suggested next to Lily's grave, but agreed that placing him near James would only emphasise the things Severus failed to achieve in life. The teachers suggested next to Dumbledore, but after seeing Severus' memories, agreed that Severus would not wish to be buried alongside a man he killed, and had used him all his life. And so the decision was made to bury him near the playground where he had first met Lily.

It was a beautiful service.

Severus' coffin was green picked out with red, not to symbolise his courage and his services to Gryffindor, but to symbolise the hair of the girl he loved. He was carried to the grave by Harry, Arthur and Ron Weasley and Horace Slughorn. As the funeral was held and prior to the final sealing of the coffin, Kingsley rose and announced that Severus had posthumously earned the Order of Merlin, First Class. He was buried with it.

Harry had felt severe disappointment at this award. He too had received the Order of Merlin for bringing down Voldemort, as did Hermione, Ron and Neville Longbottom. But the thrill, joy and honour he had felt for this came at a price, and that price was being paid even more when he saw Kingsley present the medal to a man whom could no longer feel any benefit from it.

It was Harry who had deprived Severus of the Order of Merlin four years ago. He was going to be awarded it for the capture of the previously thought guilty Sirius Black, but Harry turned back time and saved Sirius from the Dementors and his captivity. As a result, Severus' actions were for naught and he earned nothing.

"It wouldn't matter in the long run, Harry." assured Hermione. "Once Sirius was cleared after he died, Severus' award would likely have been revoked anyway, if not, once he killed Dumbledore."

Harry nodded in understanding.

The next time that Lily had looked over Harry and the subject was on Severus was when he and McGonagall ensured that a Headmaster's portrait of him was positioned at Hogwarts. It was placed two portraits away from Dumbledore's and as far away from the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black as possible.

Harry spoke to it. The portrait Severus had nothing to say. It knew nothing of Severus' second chance, and therefore fully maintained the personality that the Severus of old possessed.

"I just wanted to say, Professor…that I'm sorry I lost you the Order of Merlin, I'm sorry I stole those potion ingredients in second year, I'm sorry I thought you were after the Philosopher's Stone, I'm sorry I knocked you out in the Shrieking Shack, and I'm sorry I believed you to be the traitor you never were."

The portrait Severus grunted and rested.

Harry left the room after McGonagall made it clear she wanted to apologise to Severus in the closest way she could. The portrait was much more lenient and talkative to her, Harry and Lily had noticed, but this was not particularly surprising. Lily was sure that even now, Severus' feelings towards Harry were no different…yet.

Then she saw Harry crying and his new bride, Ginny had walked in on him after coming out of the bathroom.

"Harry, darling. You need to let this go." she had said sweetly.

"I can't forgive myself any more than Minerva could, Ginny." he said through his tears. "I made everyone hate him. I made him the most hated man in the Wizarding World, when he should always have been the most beloved. And even though I'm not sorry he and my mum never got together cos otherwise I'd never have been born…I _am_ sorry they had never worked things out. I think my mum made a horrible mistake in letting him go."

Lily cried hard and loudly at that revelation. Her son was cross with her for what she considered to be the biggest mistake of her life. If she had at least forgiven Severus, he would have known she still loved him, albeit platonically when she died…but she didn't. She didn't give a Wormtail's ass about him until after she learned the truth in death. And now she regretted having to tell him the truth that she could never have loved him the way she loves James. She hoped everyday that Severus would find true love and happiness at long last in his new life, but she felt certain that if and when he did, he would never wish to return to her as a friend. Why would he want to? She treated him so badly. He may have treated her just as badly, if not worse…but at least he was loyal to the end…unlike her.

James saw her crying and embraced her, shedding a tear when she explained what Harry had said.

"He's just upset." he assured her.

"He's been upset for three years." she replied mournfully.

James sighed. He knew that even though he loved them deeply, Harry could never forgive James for betraying his belief that he was a great man with no bullying flaw in him. His treatment of Severus proved him wrong all along, and he never would forget the day he learned the truth about his teenaged father.

Some time passed, and soon enough, seven years after Severus moved on, James and Lily were delighted to witness from afar the birth of their first grandchild, a grandson, whom James and Sirius were delighted to hear held their names.

"Congratulations, honey!" grinned Lily.

"And you too, Nana Lils!" replied James gleefully.

"Aww!" Lily's hands pressed to her chest. "I'd have loved to be Nana Lils." She felt a pang of sadness that she could never truly be Nana Lils, and James could never truly be a grandad. But they were not going to let this put them down on such a wonderful occasion.

But then, a year later, yet another wonderful event occurred. Harry and Ginny had a second son, and they were astounded when they heard the name choice.

"Albus Potter." said Ginny. "What should his second name be? Remus? Alastor? Or…Severus?"

"Albus Severus." murmured Harry. "Perfect. He has her eyes too…Severus would have wanted that connection."

"I agree." said Ginny.

Lily cried in joy. Severus' legacy and name would be a part of her family at long last. She and Severus now had a connection outside of unrequited love and a ruined friendship. And she loved Harry and her daughter in-law for it.

James was less keen as he had hoped Harry would make Remus his namesake, but then, Teddy already had that privilege. And he felt that as he took the role in Lily's life and family away from Severus, this was the best that the Potters could offer. He wondered if Severus would be grateful for this small miracle…

I rather doubt it, he thought to himself.

It was on this day, not long after Severus and Lily had gone to Diagon Alley for the first time, that Lily and James keenly witnessed the birth of their third grandchild and first granddaughter, whom was, to Lily and James' delight, named after her grandmother as well as Harry and Ginny's close friend, Luna Lovegood, though James liked to think the name Luna also had a slight connection to Remus and his lunar condition.

They were so happy for Harry. He had everything now, albeit parents. But he was now a parent himself, a husband and a successful Auror and celebrity, and a rare modest one at that. He even funded memorial parties for those lost in the Battle of Hogwarts and treasured his godson, Teddy to the extent that the boy may as well have been his son who lived with him, but to Teddy, nobody could replace his grandmother. They doted on each other as they were all the other had. Harry also tried to reconcile Andromeda Tonks with her sister, Narcissa, and although they bonded in the regret that their insane sister had died in battle, they could only be civil now. There was too much bad blood between them. Maybe they will reconcile properly when their time on Earth came to an end.

After seeing Harry and Ginny fall asleep, cradling Lily Luna in their arms, James and Lily decided to check in on Severus some more.

He and Lily of that universe were immensely happy with their new communication method of owl post, and Gabriel proved to be a most affectionate and friendly delivery owl. He nipped both their ears with a fondness that could have passed off the idea that he saw them both as his owners, and that to Lily and James gave Severus a bond with this Lily that could foreshadow so much more further on.

Their talks were shared by Petunia as she wanted to be as involved as possible. The Lily in Heaven loved this improvement and wished that her version of her elder sister had been as better a person as this version. She couldn't even give Harry a pleasant farewell because her bitterness and self-delusional instinct to believe that magic was worthless had hardened her too much for that.

As the three of them chatted via owl or in person, their excitement of their futures grew, but Petunia grew more and more saddened but kept faith in Lily's promise to find a way for her to be involved in magic in or out of Hogwarts.

Lily and James watched as in that September, Petunia went off to her secondary school that she and her mother had eventually chosen. It was a few miles out of Cokeworth and had a very pleasant reputation. But Petunia could not contain her grief in having to go to a Muggle school and learn Math and Science.

Both the Lilys pitied her, and so did Severus. But there was nothing they could do. Sadly, Petunia's despair made her friendship with her friend, Lacie deteriorate. Worse still, Petunia started to show a severe lack of interest in her work. She even threw away her homework sheets.

Rose and Trevor berated her severely, but she didn't seem to care. Severus and Lily just didn't know what they could do to help her. Lily cried constantly with her, begging her to give the life she was content with before the revelation of magic a chance, but Petunia simply said no. No bitter tone, no scream of denial, no nothing. Just a dull and simple no.

And so it went on for months. Beyond Lily and Severus' tenth birthdays. Petunia's conditions at school grew worse and worse. The most ironic thing of all was that her lack of interest in school and in making friends and simply sitting around doing next to nothing resulted in her being known as the 'freaky girl' of the school.

The Evanses were growing more and more inconsolable in Petunia's self-destruction. If she continued this much longer, she would be a recluse and a failed student, with practically no future.

It wasn't until the following April that Severus and Lily found a possibility. Rose and Petunia were in the garden. Rose had decided as a bonding experience and a gateway to trying to get some sense into her daughter, to teach Petunia how to garden. She prided herself on her geraniums and roses. And to her delight, Petunia had inherited her love and talent for gardening. They made the garden immaculate in a matter of weeks, with Eileen even helping make the plants grow slightly faster.

It was watching Eileen practicing magic on Petunia's rhododendrons that gave Severus the idea. He pulled Lily to the side and out of earshot.

"I think I know how you can make Petunia's dream come true! At least to a certain extent and she would still have to live as a Muggle, but if this works, she could be a Muggly witch, a happy and content Squib of sorts!"

"What?!" gasped Lily. "How?! And uh, what's a Squib?"

"I'll explain that later, but here's my idea." said Severus. "Petunia may not be able to master magic with wandwork and complex spells. But what if we could find a way for her to master at least the most basic classes. She could surely brew first to second year rated Potions, with supervision at all times! And she could learn all of History of Magic. Mum says it's the most boring class taught at Hogwarts, but to Petunia, it might be fun! And we could teach her about Care of Magical Creatures once we leave Hogwarts if we show her round such creatures!"

"OH!" squealed Lily, bobbing up and down on the spot. "We could teach her how to pet a unicorn!"

"Exactly!" replied Severus grinning. "And I think, provided we do all the spells involved, she would be a great student of Herbology! She may not be able to do things like Charms, Transfiguration and Defence against the Dark Arts, but those classes wouldn't be too much trouble for a Muggle, as long as we help teach her all about it before letting her try it all out! If we can get Dumbledore to help us, _we_ and maybe matured wizards or witches could be Petunia's teachers! Imagine if she could be a Herbologist! She clearly loves gardening! Why not?"

"Why not indeed?" cried Lily excitedly.

That evening, Severus asked Eileen about the idea. She wasn't certain if it would work, but this newfound hope was certainly more likely and promising than the last piece he had offered to Petunia some time ago. So, the next day, Severus and Lily met with Petunia, Rose and Trevor in the kitchen, and Lily told them the plan, at Severus' request. After all, it was Lily who had made the promise to Petunia.

Petunia's sullen expression grew more and more bright and hopeful with each passing second of the monologue.

"Y-you think I could do all that stuff?" she asked timidly.

"Not whilst still at school." said Severus in a firm tone, as though he were an elder brother. "You still need to continue and endeavour in your Muggle studies, but if we can somehow get Dumbledore on side, perhaps you can have a private tutor to help you learn these basics in magic."

Petunia nodded frantically.

"I will do anything for this!" she shouted.

"I can't promise anything, Tuney." said Lily quietly.

"But I'm touched that you would even want to try after all I've ever done and said to you and Severus." replied Petunia in earnest.

Lily hugged her happily. Rose and Trevor looked on smiling, and Severus remained hopeful.

As time went on, Lily and James watched on from Heaven and things were improving more and more. Petunia was back to her old, dedicated self. She began to pay attention in school again, she exceeded her prior expectations and although her friendship with Lacie had come to an end, she made two new friends named Millie Quince and Carly Willett. They were both redheads with friendly, welcoming attitudes. They were amongst the few people who didn't make a mockery out of Petunia this past school year.

Eileen was by now fully experienced as a witch once more, and her parents had made an astounding offer that had decided that Severus had nothing to worry about upon taking the Prince name after all: they had invited not just Eileen and Severus, but also the four members of the Evans family round to the Prince Manor for Christmas dinner. The family accepted at once, all excited and keen to visit a fully-fledged wizarding home.

Lily and James agreed that the Christmas dinner visitation was indeed a night to remember. The turkey looked succulent, the meal went down very well. Septimus simply had to accept that Muggles were not at all that different to witches and wizards, and he found Trevor a most engaging man, and they discussed each other's different objects in life. Septimus was keen to learn the mechanics of a camper van's motor, and Trevor had lots to ask about broomsticks and how they operated.

Eileen and Rose, now best of friends, chatted with Desdemona quite cheerfully and Desdemona introduced the children to the house elves in the kitchen. Neither Rose nor Lily were particularly keen on the idea of medieval slavery on the smaller creatures, but the elves, Eveby and Yeep, were more than keen to disprove their cause for concern; they adored working for the Princes and threw themselves happily at Eileen, no longer able to contain their joy to see her again. Eileen hugged them too, which was a very unusual occurrence between witches and house elves, which made them cry in joy.

Then, just before they were due to head home, Septimus and Desdemona handed each child a present.

"Oh!" gasped Lily.

"Y-you really s-shouldn't have done." whispered Petunia shyly.

"Any friend of Severus' is a friend of ours." said Septimus, waving them off.

"Now don't be silly. Open up!" said Desdemona cheerfully.

They did so. Severus received a book on Potions through many ages and levels of education. He was delighted. Lily got a trainee broomstick suited for ages ten to thirteen, which excited her and under Eileen's suggestion, they bought Petunia a book on the many plants of Herbology that she could attempt to grow in the future. Petunia couldn't wait to start reading.

Lily and James watched happily beyond this Christmas. Lily flew in evenings, never above the trees by the park in case she was to be seen. She even let Petunia have a go. Severus showed little interest, and he and Lily waited impatiently for the day to come for Severus to receive his letter and for Lily's birthday so that they could go back to Diagon Alley to collect their school supplies for that coming September.

Lily and James thought that things for Severus were going so very well, but they had a lot of obstacles to fear yet. Once they went to Hogwarts in eight months' time, Severus and this alternate Lily would encounter an alternate version of the Marauders…and once they left Hogwarts…

"Do you think Severus can use his memories to stop Voldemort before the prophecy can unfold?" asked Lily.

"I don't know, love." said James. "But I believe in Severus Snape, just as you did and do. If anyone can stop Voldemort in this universe, it's him."

Lily smiled, grateful that she wasn't alone in her faith for her best friend, whom she will always be waiting for and willing to welcome into her heavenly abode.

 **A bit shorter and another Heaven interval, and a bit of rushed time, but I hope you will appreciate it. Hogwarts days are coming! Chapter 9 coming soon! Does anyone want me to give previews? If so, tell me so on the reviews. Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9: Turning Eleven

**Chapter 9: Turning Eleven**

It was a frosty day on the 9th of January 1971. The sun struggled to make any impact in spite of the clear sky, but the cold air only allowed it to make the smallest impact on the locals coming and going to work and school around Cokeworth.

Petunia and Lily were sat at breakfast, very keen to hear the latest news from Gabriel, as he was scheduled to deliver a letter from Severus as he received his letter to Hogwarts.

He was beyond excited to go back to Hogwarts and this time live his life happily there. He knew there would be complications along the way, in the forms of four Gryffindor boys, but he was hopeful that things would run more smoothly somehow. He was a changed person now, he would not connect himself to the future Death Eaters, would not socialise with them and would certainly not follow their example in abusive language and foul spells intended to maim and injure.

It was at this point, as Severus was finishing his letter to Lily, confirming that he had received his letter, that he realized that he had delayed his chat with her about the differences and more than elitist views of wizarding blood for too long. He knew that he had to forewarn Lily of the prejudices that she would have to endure during her time at Hogwarts, the fact that he omitted from her in his last life, and did not intend to make the same mistakes twice.

And so, he decided to write in the letter that he wanted to meet her at some point during the day, not just to receive a gift, but to inform her of something important. After adding this small addition into his letter, and signing it, Severus sealed the message and handed it to Gabriel, whom took it in his beak as it was only a very small journey back home. Lily would probably let him out again that evening to have some real fresh air and to exercise his wings.

Gabriel flew into the open kitchen window of the Evans residence, much to Rose's surprise as she was cleaning the breakfast dishes right by the window and narrowly ducked when he flew in.

"Honestly, Lily, you and that bird!" she snapped.

"Sorry, Mum." said Lily meekly and she opened the letter, feeding Gabriel the fatty strips of her mostly consumed bacon.

"Did he get his letter then?" asked Petunia with some restrained emotion.

"Yes, and…that's odd."

"What, dear?" asked Rose.

"He wants to talk to me today in the park…he says it's important. Do you think something's wrong, Mummy?"

"I couldn't possibly comment, dear. But if something were wrong about his letter, I'm sure he'd have come over. He's already proven that he knows it's best to talk of delicate matters in person, rather than in letter. Maybe that's why he wants to see you." said Trevor.

"I just hope nothing _is_ wrong." said Lily worriedly.

Lily replied to the letter and she and Severus arranged to meet up after lunch at about 2pm. Severus also asked to see her alone, meaning that for once, Petunia was not invited. Lily asked Petunia how she felt about that, and Petunia, though slightly worried that she was not to be involved in this important talk, conceded and said she was fine with it.

And so, after lunch, Lily made her way to the park for the usual rendezvous, carrying two presents in her hands for Severus, one from her parents and another from herself and Petunia.

Upon arrival, Lily saw Severus alone on the swings and hugged him from behind.

"Hey, Sev!" she said cheerily. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks, Lils." murmured Severus shyly.

"Here. Open up." she said excitedly.

Severus couldn't even remember ever enjoying his birthday nor receiving anything for his birthday other than potion ingredients from Minerva McGonagall and some fluffy, colourful socks from Dumbledore, whom often said they were to bring some colour to his life as he was always dressed so drearily black. Of course, Severus never wore them nor thanked Dumbledore for them.

And so it was, with a smile of gratitude on his face, that Severus unwrapped his two gifts. The first was a knitted jumper, coloured a navy blue, as chosen by Rose to keep to his darkly dressed style. He smiled and put it on after shedding his new jacket.

It was then that Lily realized that Severus looked much more handsome and less of a pauper. He was wearing brand new clothing, and he looked as good as new himself. He even had less grease in his hair than usual.

"You noticed then?" asked Severus.

"Oh, um, yes." said Lily embarrassedly. "Presents?"

"Mhm." replied Severus. "My grandad bought me literally a whole new wardrobe, everything from Muggle clothing to wizarding robes! And he also got me my school robes for Hogwarts!"

"And your grandmother?" asked Lily, keen to hear more of Severus' continuing good fortune.

"She gave me wizarding shampoo and conditioner." laughed Severus. "She wrote in my card that she expected me to look grease-free at dinner tonight."

Lily giggled. "You do look much nicer, Sev."

Severus relished those words internally, failing to hide a small blush.

"What about your mother?" continued Lily.

"She said she'll give it to me at dinner. We're eating at my grandparents' manor." he shrugged.

"Ooh! A surprise!" Lily was bouncing with anticipation. Anyone would have thought it was _her_ birthday. She was just so happy for her best friend.

"Um, Lily, I'm opening the next one." said Severus. Lily blushed again at her eagerness.

Severus unwrapped the slightly heavier gift and found that Lily and Petunia had bought him a book on wizarding ancestry.

"We thought, maybe, you'd learn more about your family and your old ancestors." said Lily.

"Thanks, Lil!" smiled Severus delightedly, hugging her close.

After half an hour of glancing through the book, Lily decided she couldn't wait any longer to hear Severus' important news.

"Um, Sev…what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" asked Lily.

Severus' face fell.

"Well, um…I need to talk to you about some things that might cause you some grief at Hogwarts." he said nervously.

Lily's eyebrows frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well…you know that you come from a Muggle family and yet you are a witch? Well, that makes you a Muggle-born witch." he began.

"I know that. What's wrong with that?" asked Lily standoffishly.

"Well, not all wizards come from any Muggle relations at all. There are three different groups of wizards." continued Severus. "There are Muggle-borns, like you. There are half-bloods, like me, as I have both a Muggle and a witch for parents. And then…there are pure-blood witches and wizards."

"Yes? And?"

"Well, the wizarding families known as pure-bloods are distinctly prejudiced against those who are not pure." explained Severus meekly. "Most of these families come from Slytherin, the house at Hogwarts that pride themselves on cunning and ambition."

"What do you mean by prejudiced?" asked Lily forebodingly.

"They think wizards and witches who are not pure-blood are a disgrace to the name of wizard." he went on sombrely. "Some pure-bloods take that hatred to the extreme, beyond foul language towards them…some think that Muggle-borns, half-bloods and Muggles should all be wiped out."

Lily clasped her hands over her mouth in shock.

"Would I be in danger at Hogwarts, then?" she asked petrified. "Would the Slytherins try to kill me?"

"No. Even if they wanted to, they wouldn't be able to do a thing to you whilst Dumbledore is in the castle. He's got eyes and ears everywhere somehow." said Severus.

"How can you say that so easily?" asked Lily.

Severus realized he slipped up here, and hastened to say: "Mum told me about him and how he is the one wizard that pure-blood extremists, particularly one, always fear the most."

"Particular one?" asked Lily, noticing the fear and hatred that suddenly sparked into Severus' eyes.

"Yes…there is one very evil wizard." said Severus, fearful that he might frighten Lily away from Hogwarts, but he wished to remain honest. "He is a Dark Wizard who firmly believes in committing genocide against all Muggles and Muggle-borns, if not enslaving them like animals. His name is Lord Voldemort."

"If he's such an evil man, how did he get the role of a Lord?" asked Lily nervously.

"He's not really. He fashioned that name for himself. Not many really believe that is his real name. He made up that name so that one day, every wizard and witch would fear to speak it. Only Dumbledore calls him by his name without fear, everyone else calls him You Know Who or He Who Must Not Be Named. His supporters and followers call him the Dark Lord, and even they fear him because he is notoriously merciless to those who fail him. It is said he has always been incapable of love and friendship."

"I almost feel sorry for him." murmured Lily.

"Don't!" snapped Severus. "After all the things he's done in his life, he deserves to be punished."

Lily was shocked at this outburst, and equally shocked when he recoiled, as though he was frightened of her punishing him for it.

"I'm sorry, Lily. It's just- I hate him! I hate him so much!"

"Oh, Sev." She hugged him. "I understand. He targets people like you and me cos we're not pure-blood. But we're better than him. And we'll prove it together when we get to Hogwarts!"

Severus nodded rapidly.

No matter what new mistakes he made, he knew he was never going to join Voldemort again, and equally certain that he wouldn't let the likes of an alternate James Potter get the better of him this time.

That evening, Severus and Eileen came to Lily's house. Severus had asked his mother as well as Lily's if she could come with him as a plus one at his birthday dinner out.

Once she was picked up, Lily happily went with them, dressed in a pale blue dress, with her hair accompanied with a flower to make her look good and presentable to Severus' grandparents.

Severus blushed at the sight of her and Eileen smiled knowingly.

They went back to Spinner's End and into Eileen's house. As they were not being accompanied by Petunia, Rose and Trevor, Eileen was able to escort them to the manor by Floo. Lily was hesitant as she had never travelled by Floo powder before, as she was Apparated by Septimus and Eileen the previous Christmas, and she decided there and then she didn't want to go that way again. But after instructions from Eileen and a demonstration from Severus, whom went first, she declared "Prince Manor" and zoomed rapidly until she stumbled out onto a laid-out carpet without falling over, almost like a natural.

Severus helped support her and dusted off the minimal amount of coal dust off her dress, still blushing…as did Lily. Eileen swiftly followed up behind them.

"Aha!" said a voice. "Here are our honoured guests!"

Septimus stepped into the room, dressed as though he were a head butler, and by Severus and Lily's judgment, it was a house fit for butlers, maids and many other enriched privileges.

The room they stepped out of was seemingly just a hall with a fireplace built in, but it was as large as the conjoined living room and kitchen of Eileen's house. The floor was marble and the walls were emerald painted and decorated with large frames holding moving portraits of ancestors of the Prince family. There were three crystal chandeliers stretched across the ceiling of the room, and a suit of armour stood to one side near an oaken door leading further into the house. The long carpet laid out all across the centre of the hall and looked comfy enough to lay on. Severus and Lily were awestruck at this evidence of the Prince family's wealth and couldn't wait to explore more of this vast residence.

Septimus smiled at their wide-eyed and intrigued faces. They hadn't been in this room at Christmas; they simply entered the dining hall that day.

"So cute, you two!" he chuckled. "Welcome, once again, to our humble abode. Come on through to the dining room. First class food coming out soon for your birthday, Severus, cooked by ten house elves and assisted by my overzealous and insistent wife."

Septimus felt rather jolly as he explained that his wife had never been too keen on having the house elves do all the work in the house and often insists on lending a hand with the cooking at the very least. The elves themselves have mixed feelings about that. Partly they were indignant that the mistress of the house should be doing any of their work for them, but partly they were also abashed at the honour of working alongside Desdemona and learning her many recipes.

Soon, Septimus led the three of them into the dining hall. It was as large as the hall they came in from. The portraits showed portlier looking Prince ancestors and there were candles floating above, very much like the candles that lit the Great Hall at Hogwarts, which Severus observed internally. The table was Chippendale, enlarged by magic to suit the size of the room and to entertain countless guests, not that Severus imagined his grandparents being quite so popular up until now perhaps. The fire was roaring pleasantly at the far end of the hall and through the doorway beside it, came the many odours and wafting scents of freshly cooked meals, almost ready for presentation at the table.

Severus also noticed that large banners were stretched across the walls, shining in emerald letters were the words: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SEVERUS PRINCE.

Lily smiled as she looked at Severus. Already, he felt so loved, and she understood that for years, he had a huge lack of love in his life. She was so happy that her best friend was now loved, reconciled with his mother and grandparents, and no longer burdened by the presence or the name of his forsaken father.

Within ten minutes, Desdemona and four house elves came in carrying platters and platters of food. Severus blushed as his grandmother kisses his cheek.

"Happy birthday, Severus." she whispered.

The house elves bowed in unison and respect.

"Master Severus, a happy birthday to you!" they chanted kindly.

"Thank y-you." stuttered Severus.

Soon enough, the five of them were seated and dug into their food. It was a mixture of roast beef and chicken. Severus particularly liked the chicken. The vegetables were juicy and the potatoes were rich with honeyed flavour. There were many side dishes and Lily and Severus keenly tried them all. Some things were too rich for them to appreciate at such a young age, and Eileen found it hard to readjust to her stylish eating ways. The decorum of eating at a moneyed household was something that Eileen had long forgotten and the kids had never had to experience before. But Septimus and Desdemona showed no irritation, fully understanding the situation, and just enjoyed their meal, or at least Desdemona ensured that it looked that way, as Septimus showed some redness in his face watching his daughter eat like a common person, and it was nothing to do with the wine he was sipping at intervals.

Once they were full, they got to chatting while Desdemona excused herself to use the bathroom. Lily shyly spoke to Septimus of how she would also be turning eleven in a matter of three weeks.

"Close as that, eh?" remarked Septimus. "Looking forward to finally going to Hogwarts, Miss Evans?"

"Oh yes!" clapped Lily, losing her shy demeanour at his interest. "Although I still feel bad that my sister can't come."

"She was upset? She looked quite ecstatic in Diagon Alley." said Septimus.

"She was, but we only just started to patch up around that time, and she is getting used to the fact that she can't be a witch, but she still wishes for magic, and I intend to somehow give it to her. Severus and I have an idea already. But for now, I have to go without her, and it really upsets me cos I feel that I'm to blame sometimes. I know it was chance that I was born a witch…but why was I the lucky one?"

No-one could answer. But before the conversation could grow more awkward, the lights dimmed by the click of a Deluminator. Desdemona had used it and the lights emerged on a glorious sponge cake, coated in icing with red lions, yellow badgers, blue eagles and green snakes all over it.

Desdemona led the chorus as she, the house elves, Lily, Eileen and Septimus broke into song.

"Happy birthday to you…happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Severus! Happy birthday to yoooou!"

Everyone applauded and Severus had tears of joy in his eyes as he blew out his eleven candles.

The remainder of the evening passed with joy, contentment and more than enough cake. But the end of the evening brought about Severus' greatest joy of all. And that moment was when Eileen gave him his birthday present from her.

"Severus, before we head home, I need to give you your gift." she said as they began to get ready to leave.

Severus had forgotten all about this, and waited for his mother to present him with this long-awaited gift. What he didn't expect to happen was for Eileen to draw out her wand and point it fixedly in his face.

"You trust me, honey?" she asked compassionately.

How could he not? This woman wanted to relive her life with him, she was the only one who knew his secret. And she endured Tobias' abuse a second-time round, and had her heart broken yet again, for the sake of him. He nodded at her sincerely.

With a nod back, Eileen chanted the spell, "Episkey!"

Severus heard and felt a loud snapping and cracking, then a clicking. He thought at first that he was in pain, but now, he felt nothing, nothing except that something on his face felt abnormal, foreign and yet, dimly familiar.

"Look in the mirror, Severus." said Desdemona quietly, but with an air of excitement.

Severus went to look in the mirror and noticed the look of awe and joy on Lily's face, and it reflected off Eileen's face too. He looked in the mirror and gasped.

His nose wasn't crooked. It was perfectly shaped into the nose it had once been before it was first broken by Tobias and twice more after that occasion. Now he no longer had a beak for a nose, it would no longer stand out and leave grease marks on his papers as the Marauders would often tease. He burst into tears of sheer happiness.

Eileen hugged him so tight, as did Desdemona.

"Very elegant, dear boy!" appraised Septimus.

Lily came up afterwards and smiled. "You look so handsome like this, Sev. I never knew a broken nose would make such a difference. I almost don't recognise you!"

Severus blushed happily. He looked as good as he had ever done before in even his past life. And now he could safely say this was the best birthday he had ever had.

After thanking Eileen endlessly, as well as his grandparents for a perfect dinner and cake, Severus made his way to the fireplace in the hall to head home. He was to go first, followed by Lily, and Eileen last.

"Happy birthday, Severus." said Septimus and Desdemona in unison.

"Thanks Nan, Grandad." he replied happily.

With that, Severus disappeared in the Floo Network. Before Lily followed, Septimus halted her.

"I'm sure things will go fine with your sister in the long run, Miss Evans." he said paternally. "Just don't let any guilt you may have conflict with the education set before you. You're a bright girl, we can tell. So enjoy your time with Severus at Hogwarts, help your sister in any way you can, I'm sure this idea of yours and Severus' is a good one, and if you please, look after Severus while you're at school together."

"Or you'll hear from us." teased Desdemona.

Lily giggled. "Thank you, sir. Ma'am. I will."

Lily stepped into the grate and called clearly: "Eileen Prince's house!"

She soon re-emerged stumbling into Severus' arms, and Eileen brought up the rear with ease and cheeriness.

"Okay, now, I think we'd better get you home, Lily." said Eileen kindly. "It's nearly nine o clock."

Lily pouted and soon she was home at her front door, and she waved Severus and Eileen off as Rose took her inside.

"Thank you so much, Mummy." said Severus again, as they settled down inside their home.

"That's ok, honey. It's your birthday! Our last one together before you go to Hogwarts." Eileen sighed sadly. "I wish we had more happy birthdays together…in this life and the one before."

"This one makes up for it all, Mum!" said Severus quickly. "I loved everything about today."

His mother cried smiling and cuddled her son. "Promise me we will have more birthdays together, after you leave Hogwarts? I so badly want to make everything up to you. Including all the birthdays I wasted on your father."

Severus nodded. Then he thought of something.

"I wonder what I should get Lily for her birthday. Now I have money, I wanna get her something special." he said.

"We have three weeks to work that out, and besides, I believe Rose is taking Lily and Petunia on a girls' day out this weekend. We can go to Diagon Alley then." replied Eileen.

Severus agreed.

The following weekend, Severus and Eileen went to Diagon Alley by Floo and looked all over for something to buy for Lily on her birthday.

Severus considered a cat to go with her owl, but recollected that one can only bring one pet to Hogwarts. So he looked around for something else. Then he remembered that Lily in her past life exceeded the most in Charms, so he decided to buy her a book on Basic Charms and their Wand Movements.

He bought it and wondered with some concern whether or not Lily would like it.

But on the 30th January, a couple of weeks later, judging by the squeal of delight and the tight embrace he received from Lily, he decided that indeed, she did.

The day after Lily's birthday, Severus and Lily roused rather late, after they had such an actively fun time at the Evans house yesterday evening with Petunia, a couple of her friends as well as some of Lily's old friends had a celebrational Muggle birthday party. The cake was almost as lovely as Severus' had been, and Lily loved the book given to her by Severus as well as the homemade cookies Petunia gave to her; her first attempt at baking, which Rose was delighted to see needed little supervision. Her eldest daughter was a natural at cooking and gardening.

"We're finally eleven." Lily said cheerfully as she and her best friend swung on the swings together in the playground.

"Yeah, and in another six months or so, we can go and buy our first wands." replied Severus dreamily. "Mum says Ollivander won't sell any until summer, because young underage witches and wizards should not be allowed to handle wands this far off from starting school."

"Yeah." sighed Lily. "I just can't wait to go!"

"Nor me." agreed Severus enthusiastically.

It was true. He was excited. He was going to succeed in his years at Hogwarts this time. He would be best friends with Lily all the way to the end. He would win her heart. He would show James Potter and his lackeys.

Severus was certain now that life would be so much easier…at Hogwarts anyway. But he still feared the uncertain future where Lord Voldemort was concerned. Severus had another thought in mind. When he went to Hogwarts, he decided he was going to do a lot of research on souls and the magic surrounding them…light…and dark.

 **(Sorry this chapter is up late! Been busy being back at university! I'll try to update again this week! Chapter 10 coming soon!)**


	10. Chapter 10: The Selection of the Wands

**Chapter 10: The Selection of the Wands**

Severus and Lily were keener than ever before when the summer rolled in across Cokeworth. They were beyond thrilled when Eileen, Rose and Trevor agreed mutually to take them shopping for the remainder of their school provisions and because Eileen's parents helped the Evans family become connected to the Floo Network, they found the trip would be quicker and have no tediously long drive to and from London.

The Prince and Evans family were getting on more and more, and the news spread across the Ministry of Magic and therefore, to the whole Wizarding World without that Septimus Prince, a well-renowned Pure blood wizard had close friendly relations with a Muggle family. This news intrigued some most pleasantly, and disgusted others most unpleasantly. Septimus was ridiculed by other pure blood families such as the Malfoys and the Blacks whenever he was within one of their sights, and the Goyle family had the gall to send him a Howler, which he dismissively incinerated with a flick of his wand before the head of the Goyles could utter a single piece of harsh profanity from his equally harsh letter.

Septimus was dismissive because he truly didn't care. His reunion with his daughter had provided relief in him that he hadn't lost her forever, and mixed with Desdemona's gradual teaching of common sense, he was a much-reformed character.

"If it wasn't for the Evans family, I would still have had a terribly old-fashioned and disdainful outlook on Muggles, though, I must admit." he admitted to Desdemona and Eileen. But this didn't surprise them very much, as Septimus' primary example of a Muggle was in the form of Tobias Snape.

Severus and Lily were also very keen to get to Hogwarts in a few months. Petunia was keen too. She wanted desperately to visit a wizarding area aside from Diagon Alley, and she found the idea of a hidden platform in King's Cross impossible and therefore, most exciting. She also wanted desperately for Lily and Severus to get a confirmation from Dumbledore if their plan could possibly be put into action. She still had doubts considering the last meeting she had with him, but thanks to her sister's encouraging optimism and her own good fortunes with her new friends and her ongoing education, she remained hopeful.

Soon, the sweltering heat of June passed on to July, and many residents of Cokeworth were paddling in their pools, sunbathing in their gardens or sharing picnics in the grassy park. As promised, Eileen, Trevor and Rose arranged to take Lily and Severus to Diagon Alley to collect their supplies. Petunia decided to go too, as her two new best friends were either on holiday in Greece, or away for the day at a theme park with family. She also wished to see how wand selection worked and fancied a Fortescue ice cream or two.

Petunia's excitement only increased when she was invited to go through the Floo Network accompanied by Eileen. She dressed in older clothes that she wouldn't mind throwing away in case she damaged or dirtied them beyond saving. Lily was to escort Rose and Severus would go with Trevor. Rose looked worried about spinning through a burning fireplace. Lily squeezed her hand encouragingly.

Petunia was also nervous and clung to Eileen's arm to the point that the latter worried she would lose circulation if she didn't get Petunia through to the Leaky Cauldron post-haste.

"Ready then, Petunia?" she asked politely.

"Yes…as ready as I could ever be." replied Petunia hesitantly.

Eileen declared "Diagon Alley!"

Petunia was spun and it was all she could do to keep hold of Eileen until after what seemed five minutes or more, they fell through into the Leaky Cauldron. Petunia coughed and spluttered as she had inhaled ash into her mouth as she yelped in the spinning foray of green flames.

Lily soon followed with Rose, whose white complexion was now tainted with green.

"I…don't think…I can…do that…again!" she wheezed as she struggled to stand up straight.

"One gets used to it." said Eileen kindly, rubbing her friend's back with the hand that wasn't temporarily numbed by Petunia's falcon-like grip.

Finally, Severus came through with Trevor, whom unlike his wife and daughter laughed in ecstasy.

"What a ride! What a thrill!" he practically cackled with delight.

Everybody in the pub looked at Trevor with amused expressions. They were a jovial looking bunch, unlike the company one would expect to see in the Hog's Head, Severus recalled with a twinge of regret, as he remembered the setting of the place he had unintentionally doomed his original love.

His attention was restored to his current reality when Eileen led them to the back of the pub and opened the walled opening to Diagon Alley.

The six of them strolled onto the familiar street and looked around keenly as before. They went to Gringotts first to collect enough money to buy the wands, the cauldrons and the various supplies included in their letters. The goblins looked slightly more pleasant as the party was being led by two heirs of the Prince family, and they went to their respective vaults, though Petunia and Rose, still shaken and slightly ill from their Floo travel elected to wait in the main reception area whilst Eileen and Trevor took their kids to collect their money.

Severus and Lily decided to take out enough money to spend on the Hogwarts Express as well, so took a few extra Galleons out of their vaults.

Half an hour later, Severus and Lily were buying their pewter cauldrons, whilst Petunia looked around in Flourish and Blotts for any other books that might benefit her in the future.

Eileen had the sense to shrink the two cauldrons, not small enough to lose them, but enough to slip them into the shopping bag that held their ingredients for Potions and then, after Petunia exited with a book on cooking with certain wizarding plants, came the moment they had all waited for: the visit to Mr Ollivander's wand shop.

They entered and found boxes upon boxes of wands all over the place. Some were stacked by the windows, some in compartments behind the desk, and some piled on top of one another on the floor close to the walls. Behind the desk was a wispy, white haired man with a very disturbing expression, and he leered at the sight of his new customers.

"Two new buds prepared for the first petal?" he said eerily.

"Y-yes?" replied Lily.

Rose gave her and Petunia protective squeezes on the shoulders. She decided upon first impression that she didn't like Mr Ollivander much, even though Eileen had described him as a genius in wand lore and that no-one produced any better wands.

"Now, before we select the perfect first wands, we'll need to take your measurements now, won't we?" said Ollivander. He grabbed his measuring lines and made them sentient with a flick of his own wand, which was straight as a pencil and stiff as a board. It was also as grey as his hair.

"Ladies first." he said.

Lily nervously stepped forward but maintained herself after catching Severus winking at her with encouragement. She was measured all over, particularly on her arms, and she had to point out that her right arm was the dominant one.

"Okay now!" said Ollivander. "Perhaps we should start off with this."

He went behind the counter and instinctively pulled out from its box a wand with a bend in it, that reminded Severus eerily of the wand belonging to the previous universe's Bellatrix Lestrange; only this one had a brighter shade.

"Twelve inches, dragon heartstring, elder wood, fairly pliable." said Ollivander cautiously, handing Lily the wand in question.

Lily wasn't sure what to do with it.

"Give it a wave." said Ollivander, in a tone of impatience.

Lily flinched and did so, but the wand seemed to snap itself out of her grip and flew to Ollivander's awaiting hand.

"No, clearly not." he said thoughtfully, placing the wand back into its box and scanning the shelves with concentration.

Eventually, he fished out a second wand after much deliberation and a few glances back at Lily.

"Ten and a quarter inches, unicorn hair, willow wood and very swishy." he said.

Severus smiled. He remembered vaguely from one of his memories that this was Lily's wand in the other universe, but would it be the same this time?

Lily gripped the wand and it glowed and emitted some red sparks.

"Perfect partnering." concluded Ollivander. "I'll just box that up again and then there will be the matter of your payment. Six Galleons and Seven Sickles in total."

Lily paid for the wand, surprised at the expense of such a small stick. If it weren't for the craftmanship clearly endowed upon it, she could easily have mistaken this wand for a stick her neighbour's dog would have found in the garden.

She looked to her parents, who looked delighted at her finding a wand so quickly as Eileen had remarked that some witches and wizards take up a lot of time finding the right wand. Eileen clapped cheerfully, and Severus winked and smiled at her proudly. Then she looked over at Petunia, whom was looking longingly at a wand box in the window sill beside her.

Lily went over to her sister and hugged her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think what coming here would do to you." she whispered.

"I chose to come. I wanted to experience what wand selection was like. But now I've seen it. So at least I got to witness it." replied Petunia, fighting to keep her tone positive and dismissive of any negativity, but her face betrayed her.

Tears were shining and her eyes were avoiding Lily's and staring fixedly in the direction of the wand on the shelf, which she knew she could easily just grab and run off with…but she knew from everything Severus had told her, that taking the wand and trying to use it would be of no use.

The wand chooses the wizard, he said. It made little sense to her, but from what she had witnessed today with Lily, she now understood that any wand would realize that she had no magic to offer it, and therefore no wand would choose her, and she hung her head low in rejection once more.

Lily and Rose decided to take Petunia to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour for some cheering up. Severus was slightly saddened by this, because he wanted Lily to see him get his wand. But he knew what Petunia's feelings meant to Lily, so he nodded understandingly and waved the three Evans girls off as they exited through the door.

Ollivander turned to Severus.

"Ah, now. Let's see." He repeated his measuring of the boy and seemed to hum in a thoughtful sort of way at intervals.

"Right now." he said, fetching out a wand. "Try this. Fourteen inches, oak, dragon heartstring, stiff and true."

Severus looked at the wand presented to him. He recalled this wand most vividly. He had mastered this wand on the first go the last time he came to this shop in his first life, and it remained with him until the day he died. He felt a sense of reunion with the wand but quivered slightly as it was the wand that he used to kill Albus Dumbledore and maim others in his Death Eater days with his own Sectumsempra curse.

"Don't be shy, boy. Give it a go!" said Ollivander hastily.

Severus took the wand but to his surprise, it didn't glow and spark, it warmed up in his hand to the point he had to drop it.

"Seems to not agree with you very much at all!" said Ollivander with surprise, recollecting the wand and putting it back on the shelves.

Severus was most surprised of all. In this world, the wand he had been destined with before disapproved of him severely. Was it because he was a different person now? Was it because he had no ambition to join the Dark side this time?

"Try this." said Ollivander.

He had to say those two words another three times, before producing the sixth wand to test.

"Unicorn hair, hornbeam wood, ten and a half inches, loyally stiff."

Severus took it doubtfully. Wands with unicorn hair indicated that its user would be strongly affiliated with the Light. Severus may have changed, may have been to Heaven, but he still wasn't certain he was a good person, good enough to be a part of the Light.

But as soon as he held it and gave it a wave, the wand glowed and its sensation flooded his body, creating a sense between wizard and wand, of belonging.

Eileen clapped delightedly, whilst Ollivander smiled approvingly.

"Most surprising combination." he said absently.

"Why?" asked Severus.

"Oh." Ollivander sounded slightly embarrassed. "Well, I remember your mother, Mr Prince. I have never known a Prince heir or heiress to be able to master a wand with unicorn hair. And the hornbeam wood also indicates that this wand will never abandon its owner, hence showing a strong destiny bond between itself and yourself, Mr Prince. A wand that loyal on first acquaintance shows that you have great morality, young sir."

Severus understood why this was. The wand sensed the desire to change, the desire to make amends in this new life. And this wand had just shown to him that it was willing to aid him on this lifelong quest.

"Thanks, I guess, Mr Ollivander." he said after a pause.

After paying seven Galleons exactly, Severus took his boxed wand and he, Eileen and Trevor made their way to Fortescue's.

Lily and Petunia had just finished their ice creams, but couldn't resist indulging in another one each when Severus went to order his. Lily went alone to buy both hers and Petunia's ices, as she had the Galleons, and so that she and Severus could show off their wands to each other in privacy, without upsetting Petunia any further, whom had cheered up slightly with her ice and some comfort from Rose.

Severus put on the act of expressing excitement at seeing Lily's wand for the 'first time' and she was all the more ecstatic when he showed his wand to her and explained all that Ollivander said about it.

"Maybe it's a sign that you will play a role for the light, helping fight that Voldemort loser!" she suggested.

Severus thought upon this and looked down at his new wand. Maybe Lily was right. Maybe this was a symbolism of his future battle against Voldemort, and he knew that with Lily and hopefully Dumbledore by his side, he will not fail, though he didn't wish to show to Dumbledore his slightly advanced knowledge about the weaknesses of Voldemort. It could raise too many questions about Severus' secret past, and due to Dumbledore's flawless Legilimency, Severus knew he would have to avoid the Headmaster a lot. And that in itself was sure to bring up some suspicion from the observant old man. Severus knew that this particular part of the upcoming fight against the Dark Lord was going to be very difficult, and he was now starting to wonder if his second life at Hogwarts was really going to be as easy as the first time after all.

 **That's Chapter 10! Sorry it's shorter than previous chapters, but I think the next few chapters will compensate! Chapter 11 coming soon! Please review, and thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11: The Trip to Hogwarts Castle

**Chapter 11: The Train to the Castle of Hogwarts**

The days since the gathering of cauldrons, ingredients and wands had passed by rapidly, and the fear of leaving loved ones behind started to take effect on the humbled Severus and the emotional Lily.

Eileen and Rose were particularly emotional about seeing their little ones off to Hogwarts, whereas Trevor was taking it in his stride. But one thing was going to be different for Severus in particular at Hogwarts this year: he was going to go home with Lily for the Christmas holidays, and he was already looking forward to it, even though he hadn't left yet. Petunia was particularly sad to see Lily go, not just because she still held some resentment at not being able to come too, but because she would miss her little sister and the new friend she had made over the last couple of years, the friend she was certain would always keep Lily safe in her place, while they were away. She felt some jealousy that Severus was now going to be able to take her place as Lily's rock in the world, but deep down, she knew she would always be Lily's rock in the Muggle World. Severus was just going to be her rock in the Wizarding World.

The summer was coming to an end. The leaves were changing yellow early. The ripe green of the trees and bushes were giving way as the final week of August passed and soon enough, the first of September came. The day for Severus and Lily to set off to Hogwarts at long last.

The night before, they had packed all their necessary possessions in respective trunks, and Gabriel had his last flight out before having to be placed in his cage prior to the long train journey to Hogwarts.

Severus and Eileen cuddled sadly when they completed the packing.

"At least you'll be back home for Christmas this time." said Eileen quietly.

"Yeah. And I won't regret it." said Severus with a sincere smile.

As for Lily, she and Rose had a bit of a cry together, and Petunia joined in after giving Lily a fresh batch of cookies for the journey. Rose had given her fairy cakes to share with Severus. Trevor hugged her before bedtime.

"My little girl is growing up." he said in a mournful tone.

"Yeah." said Lily piteously. "I'm a little scared, Dad. I've never been away as long as that."

"You'll love it all, Lily." he said. "And you won't be lonely, will you? Severus will be there by your side through it all."

Lily nodded, feeling slightly cheerier with that fact.

On that morning, all six of them made their way to London again, this time in the car, and the boot was also enlarged to fit the trunks in and Lily held Gabriel's cage on her lap. The ride to King's Cross Station was not too comfortable and the atmosphere was intense, as Lily and Severus would be bidding the first of many farewells to their parents, and Petunia was growing more and more tight-lipped at the thought of losing her sister and her friend, her main connection to the Wizarding World allowed to her.

At 10.45, they found themselves on the platforms and Eileen led them and the two children's trollies to the section of wall between platforms nine and ten. The Evans family looked confused, but Eileen used Severus as a demonstration.

"At a run, you need to run straight at the wall between the two platforms here, and it will lead you to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, as Severus will now demonstrate." said Eileen.

Remembering to look nervous, as though this were his first time to travel through the gateway to the Hogwarts platform, Severus pushed his trolley at a pace, clenched his eyes shut and disappeared from the Evans family's view and onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters. He saw the beauteous steam engine, painted a deep scarlet, surrounded in smoke and steam and countless people dressed in either Muggle clothing or robes, with owls, cats and toads making distinctive background noises amidst the chatter and the hissing of steam.

Lily followed with Trevor, and Eileen brought Rose and Petunia through last.

There was ten more minutes left before the train departed at 11am, and so with haste, Severus and Lily bundled their trunks and Gabriel's cage onto the train, aided by their parents and the conductor. Then they returned to their parents and Petunia pulled Lily aside, her look of resentment bathing her appearance, her right fist was even shaking.

"I'm gonna miss you, Lily." she said softly.

"I'll miss you too, Tuney." replied her sister, with a worrisome expression because she could see Petunia was fighting internally to maintain her temper.

"Do your best at Hogwarts and make us all proud." continued Petunia. "And…don't go too far out of your way to help me. I just don't think Dumbledore will go to all the effort in the plan to just help me."

"Tuney, I made a promise to you and I will keep it!" said Lily dismissively. "I'm not leaving you out of my new life completely. I can't watch you resent me, Sev and all these other witches and wizards forever. This isn't just for you, it's for my own peace of mind too. So don't you give up either, for me and for yourself."

Petunia sighed deeply, released her fist and hugged Lily tightly, scared to let go.

"I love you, Lils."

"I love you too, Tuney."

They separated to let Lily say farewell to Trevor and Rose, whom was very teary.

"Write us as soon as possible, darling." she sniffled.

"Don't lag around. Do everything Severus suggests and obey your teachers." added Trevor paternally.

"Yes, Mum. Yes, Dad." she replied, with some tears in her eyes too. "I'll miss you both. And, um…look after Tuney." she added quietly.

"We will, don't worry, love." promised Rose.

Just then, Severus waved to two people, who turned out to be Septimus and Desdemona. They rushed over out of breath.

"Not too late then to say goodbye then!" panted Septimus.

"Have a wonderful time, honey!" Desdemona gasped, seizing Severus into a smothering embrace.

"I will!" Severus yelped, trying to maintain his breath.

She released him and Septimus clapped his shoulder affectionately.

"Make us all proud, m'boy." he said.

"I will, Grandad." replied Severus confidently.

Eileen gave him the last hug and whispered so that only he could hear.

"Remember, I don't care what house you end up in this time, and even if you do get sorted into Slytherin again, it will not decide you, okay?"

"I know, Mum. Thank you for coming with me." he said almost tearfully.

"Always, love." she said simply.

Soon the conductor shouted for all students for Hogwarts to board now. So with a final hug and kiss from parent and grandparent and sister alike, Severus and Lily boarded the Hogwarts Express.

The whistle sounded, the engine responded deafeningly and the whole train started to move. Severus and Lily leaned out of the window and waved excitedly, and the party on the platform waved back happily, even Petunia showed pride and enthusiasm for her little sister and Lily's heart leapt in joy at that final picture as they faded from sight as the train departed from the station.

Lily sighed despondently at the fact that she would not see them again for nearly four months. Severus hugged her comfortingly.

"Let's find a compartment." he suggested.

Lily nodded. "Bit crowded in these corridors."

Soon enough, they found a compartment containing only two other children, and they decided to sit by the window. Entering the compartment, Severus' heart plummeted in horror. The two boys sat already, though not paying himself or Lily any heed as they entered were disturbingly familiar. They both had black hair, one very scruffy, one very dignified and handsome. The boy nearest the window had glasses on and despite his scruffy appearance showed to be just as handsome as his friend, and had a look of mischief about him. Severus almost collapsed into his seat as he realized who they were.

It was James Potter and Sirius Black.

"Sev, what's wrong?" asked Lily. She noticed the paleness wash over his face.

"Nothing, think I might be travel sick from the car journey. Let's sit down." he replied, taking his seat with forced composure and self-control.

All he desired to do right now was curse James and Sirius' smug faces into nothingness. But this he knew he simply could not do. He had to maintain and restrain himself in the presence of these two boys and their future comrades this lifetime round, so that he did not put any unnecessary strain on his and Lily's friendship, but he also felt selfishly, that he didn't want Lily to associate with James and the other Marauders at all this time, but he knew that this would be inevitable as she was bound to end up in Gryffindor again, and she would have to communicate with them in class as well.

Lily sat opposite him and took his hands.

"We're finally going, can you believe that this day has come, Sev?" she cried. "I wonder what house I'll be in? I hope we'll be in the same house! Do you think we'll be in the same house? Which house do you think you'll be in?"

Severus' complexion whitened some more. It was at this juncture that his rivalry with the Marauders began…the moment he hoped he and Lily would be in Slytherin.

"I don't know." he said honestly.

"Well, anywhere but Slytherin!" remarked the alternate version of James Potter suddenly.

Severus almost cowered in hearing that horrible voice in its youthful pitch once again after so long. But he reminded himself that he wasn't a coward and raised himself in his seat.

"What house would you choose then?" he asked with barely suppressed contempt.

Lily was surprised at Severus' anti-social behaviour here. She even felt like she could see raw hatred reflected in Severus' usually cheery eyes.

James looked puzzled too, but responded just as coldly.

"I'll be in Gryffindor for sure. House of the brave and the bold!" His words were slightly different to last time, but the arrogance of his character was unchanged. "My whole family have been Gryffindors. Any other house for me will result in me leaving! I'd sooner leave and live as a Muggle than be in Hufflepuff or worse, Slytherin!" He said that last word with vile disgust.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin." said Sirius Black's counterpart morosely.

"Blimey, and I thought you seemed alright!" laughed James.

"What is wrong with Slytherin?" asked Lily defensively. "Just cos that Voldemort guy was in Slytherin, doesn't mean that all students sorted into it will be bad people!"

James and Sirius looked very surprised at Lily's fearless use of Voldemort's name, but showed approval too.

"This one has backbone too." said James. "We don't fear calling him Voldemort either. We're gonna grow up to fight him and his allies."

"What about you?" asked Sirius to Severus with doubt. "You gonna be a Grand Fighter Gryffindor or a Sneaky Loser Slytherin? You see, girlie, Slytherins are all destined to be losers and supremacists, just like my useless family back home!"

"THEY ARE NOT!" shouted Severus.

Lily, James and Sirius flinched in shock at the outburst.

"My entire family were Slytherins too!" bellowed Severus. "My mother was a Slytherin and she married a Muggle! NOT ALL SLYTHERINS ARE BAD GUYS!"

James and Sirius' expressions soured.

"So, you're gonna be a Slytherin then, just like your family! Thought there was something off about you. Jumpy. Cowardly. Typical of a Slytherin." said James.

"Did you not just listen to him?" snapped Lily defensively. "His mother married a Muggle. I know her! She's kind and wonderful and loving and devoted to all of us back home."

"Well, duh, you're a witch, girlie." said Sirius. "Have you seen this git's mother associate with Muggles?"

"Yes, I'm from a Muggle family! I'm Muggle born!" fumed Lily. "Eileen Prince loves my best friend here, and she is just as kind and caring to me, even though I'm neither pure blood, nor her daughter. She married a Muggle, even though it cost her. She lost her parents for a while, but in the end, even they had seen the error of their ways! The Princes may have been in Slytherin, but they have proven that not all people sorted into that House will automatically turn out to be buddies with Voldemort!"

James and Sirius looked to Severus. They didn't look ready to verbally attack him again, but they both sported distrusting expressions.

"You're from the Prince family?" asked James.

"Yes. What of it?" replied Severus standoffishly.

"We heard that people like the Malfoys and the Crabbes are saying that the patriarch of the Prince family, Septimus Prince, has had a mental breakdown." continued James. "Says he's gone off his rocker."

Lily was astonished. This boy whom claimed he was the perfect image of a Gryffindor was openly bullying her best friend, trying to suggest his grandfather was mentally unstable, even though he had nothing to base that on other than the word of wizards he claimed were filthy Slytherin allies of Lord Voldemort.

"My grandad is not mad!" growled Severus. "He reformed. He and my nanny are now friends with Lily's parents, and have even invited her to their manor for dinner in the past! They are now no longer Muggle haters!"

James and Sirius frowned. Then Sirius spoke.

"I did overhear my parents saying that Septimus and Desdemona Prince had started befriending Muggles. Maybe this guy is telling the truth."

"Well, why wouldn't he?" said Lily crossly. "If he were a terrible Slytherin, why would he be friends with a Muggle born? Why would he not demonstrate himself as a hater of Gryffindors and Muggles? Why wouldn't he try to jinx or curse you, or call me something horrible for being Muggle born?"

James and Sirius were stumped here. But James shook his head.

"I don't believe him." he said. "The Princes have been notorious for centuries. Why would they suddenly change now? They must have a reason, a motive."

"Yeah! The motive is reconciling with my mother! She and my father were…" Severus lowered his head. He couldn't bring himself to divulge his abusive upbringing to these bullies, these unchanged individuals, who made his life hell in his past life.

Lily understood why he paused and respected that snippet of privacy.

"What?" snapped James. "Your mum and dad what? Did she hate him cos he tricked her? Maybe she hated him cos she soon realized he couldn't do anything as well as she could, so she killed him cos she thought he was just in the way, she no longer loved him just because he couldn't cast a few housework spells, is that it?"

Severus leapt from his seat and went to punch James; not just for this string of insults, but because of everything his counterpart had put him through in his past, for haunting his life after losing Lily to him, and for ever trying to deny him access to the girl he had lost for so long…and now got to spend eternity with, while all he had was a chance. Not a guarantee…a mere chance.

Before he could slam his fist into James' glasses, Lily grabbed him and pulled him back.

"No, Sev!" she shrieked. "He isn't worth it!"

James frowned. "You'll regret ever trying to lay a slimy finger on me!"

He stomped out of the compartment and almost collided with an older student, already dressed in his robes, and he was sporting a shiny badge with the letter P on it. Severus' heart sank as he realized who he was. The big giveaway was his sleek, lengthy, blonde hair and sharp face.

It was the alternate, younger version of Lucius Malfoy.

"What's all this?" he asked with a sneer.

"Nothing…Prefect!" replied James with sarcastic venom. He had noticed the green and the serpent emblem on Malfoy's robes.

James stalked off but Malfoy blocked Sirius from following him as he slinked into the compartment with him, Severus and Lily.

"First years." he said in an oily voice. "You will do well to obey all the school rules…and the prefects."

"I will never obey you, Lucius." snarled Sirius.

"Ah, yes. Nobody in the family has much of a decent opinion of you, Sirius." said Malfoy. "Regulus has been saying that you're becoming quite the rebel. Often complaining of our righteous cause."

"What cause might that be?" asked Severus coldly.

"The cause to keep the purity of wizarding blood alive. To eradicate the filth that has contaminated wizarding kind and then forced it into isolation when it could not be comprehended!" declared Malfoy almost dictatorially.

"Excuse me?!"

It was Lily's turn to be held back by Severus.

"Ah, a Muggle, are you?" sneered Malfoy, turning his nose up at her.

"A Muggle-born witch." corrected Lily.

"Nevertheless, you do not belong on this train." said Malfoy with no hesitation or guilt. "You should pull the cord right now and scamper off home."

"She's not going anywhere." said Severus, placing himself in front of her.

"Indeed?" said Malfoy, with a raised eyebrow. "And whom might you be to disagree with a prefect's opinion?"

"I am Severus Prince, and coming from a line of Pure-bloods, I have the opinion that we would have died out long ago if it weren't for our interaction with Muggles. As much as I hate to say it, I think Black there has got a point, and has the right idea. Purity of blood is not what's important. We all have magic, pure bloods, half-bloods and Muggle-borns alike. We're all the same, despite what bloodlines suggest to close-minded fools like you!"

Malfoy's teeth bared.

"Spoken like a rogue Prince, a bloody Gryffindor." he said maliciously. "Pity you haven't been Sorted yet. But judging by your blood traitor qualities, I am sure I will have many opportunities to put you in place, Prince."

"Oh, by the way." called Severus, as Malfoy turned to leave the compartment. "All those letters your family sent to my grandfather…barely made a difference, they were all ash by the time he was done with them."

Malfoy stared darkly back at Severus, then his eyes flitted in disgust towards Lily, and towards Black with false pity.

"You will regret your misled views one day, Sirius. Maybe we can reform you yet." he muttered, and with that, slipped out of the compartment and out of sight.

"I'm sorry, Lily." said Severus. "The Malfoys are a notorious group of purists."

Lily embraced him soothingly. "You warned me things could get ugly. It's okay. You can't help how others act and feel."

Severus sighed in relief. Then he was suddenly aware that Sirius was still in the compartment and staring at them both with a confused expression.

"You really don't care about her being Muggle-born, do you?" he said.

"No, she's my best friend. I don't care about her bloodline. Her sister and I have become friends too, and she has no magic abilities." affirmed Severus sharply.

"Sev may be from a Pure blood family on one side, but he is still a Half-blood and a good guy. He never held my being from a Muggle family against me. If it wasn't for him, I may not have found out who I was until I got my letter. He has helped me and my family in so many ways, I don't think I could ever repay him. He made me see my life in a whole new way, and I am so excited to start my life as a witch. But I would appreciate if you didn't hold his family's history against him!" added Lily, equally sharp in pitch.

Sirius looked between them. He wasn't stupid; he could see they cared for each other. He was a rebel in the blood purity beliefs his family maintained, surely it's not impossible that this kid could be like him? Maybe he was able to successfully reform his parents…although he was curious about his life. How did this guy come to be a nice heir to a notorious family? How did the family accept him as a half-blood? What did the Prince family go through to change so abruptly?

"Ok." he said at last. "See you at the school, I suppose."

Sirius departed and went to look for James.

After he had gone, Severus and Lily had a very cheerful journey. They spoke of all the things they would now be able to do, they got changed into their robes, each facing away from one another with the blinds pulled down, they used the remains of their pocket money to buy many sweets from the trolley lady and guzzled on half the sweets until the sun went down and the moon rose through the dim clouds, and the train reached its platform. They were nearly at Hogwarts.

The two friends eagerly rushed to get off the train, and found themselves submerged amongst a black stream of students on the platform. Through all the hubbub, they heard a loud, booming voice call out.

"Firs' years! Firs' years, follow me!"

Severus hadn't heard that voice in over eleven years, and the last times he had heard it, the voice was mixed with anger, hatred and contempt.

It was the jolly but domineering voice of the half-giant gamekeeper of Hogwarts, Rubeus Hagrid.

 **(So here is Chapter 11. Chapter 12 will be worked on tomorrow and maybe updated the day after. Time will tell. Hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for reading!)**


	12. Chapter 12: Sorting It Out Again

**Chapter 12: Sorting It Out Again**

Severus pulled Lily towards the shadow of Hagrid emitted by the lantern he held high to guide the first years towards him, as if his towering, bulky figure wasn't enough. Lily was astonished to see this humongous man, with barely any visible skin on his face, and the biggest, bushiest beard she had ever seen.

"They have _giants_ working here?!" she whispered to Severus.

"Just him, I think." said Severus. "He's not tall enough to be a full-grown giant. Maybe he's half giant."

"Giants and humans can mate?" asked Lily in amazement.

"Don't ask me how." chuckled Severus.

Soon, they, James Potter, Sirius Black and the other first years were all gathered before Hagrid, as the other students headed towards the area where the invisible Thestrals were waiting to carry them there by carriage. The second years were guided towards this area by the prefects and Head students. Severus wondered if his first life would impact on his own ability to see Thestrals in this life. He was yet to see one in this life, and he likely wouldn't see one until next year, because he knew the Forbidden Forest well as a professor at Hogwarts, he did not intend to break the rules as a student this year and draw attention to himself. Besides, knowing a pre-adolescent werewolf was also starting his first year here too, Severus knew better than to travel the grounds at night.

He was about to look among the students to see if he could spot the eleven-year-old Remus Lupin when Hagrid called out: "Follow me to the boats, please!"

Hagrid led them down towards the Black Lake, which excited Lily as she had never seen the grounds before.

"This place has everything!" she cried to her best friend.

Severus played the part of the excited first timer, holding Lily's hand as they went.

Eventually, Hagrid's lantern lit up some boats moored by the shore and it became clear what was to happen.

"Four people per boat, please! No fun and games while we travel up to the castle!" he bellowed.

Lily and Severus climbed into one of the boats. They were soon joined in the back seat of the small vessel by two boys. One of them looked slightly plump and extremely timid. The other looked more tired than anything else, and almost collapsed into his seat.

Severus didn't notice who they obviously were, as he was looking straight ahead of him, and towards the lake that would eventually bring into view of the Hogwarts castle. A place that filled him with joyful memories and fearsome and tiresome nightmares of his original life…and then in the wind, he felt sure he could hear the whishing and crunching sounds of the freshly grown Whomping Willow, the hiding place of the very building he had died in. He shuddered in his memory of this, but Lily saw it as a result of the wind hitting them, as they set off across the lake; the air grew colder as the night was growing darker and on the lake, it seemed worse. The water even seemed to be producing steam as it was below zero degrees under the surface, but the air out here was still at least eight to ten degrees.

Shortly, the boats came into view of the splendid castle. Its parapets and towers soared up to the sparkling night sky, the many windows had golden shades shining from firelight out onto the lake, making a beautiful and guiding reflection as the students floated, Hagrid leading the way in his own boat. Lily had never seen such a magnificent sight in all her life. Severus remembered his real first day, and Lily's awestruck expression was mimicked by this Lily to a tee.

Severus was so happy to see this part of his relived, and he knew that he would treasure that smile on her face forever. He hoped that this time, she would never cease to show him that smile.

At long last, Hagrid got them out of the boats and up towards the front doors of the castle, knocking strongly on the door.

Suddenly, Severus' heart leapt, as he knew who was about to answer the door and what she meant to him in his past life; almost as close a friend as Albus Dumbledore had been, although this dropped to nothing after Severus killed him. He was almost scared to look at her again. She would have no friendliness in that face while he was only eleven; she didn't even know who he was yet.

The doors opened and that notoriously strict face with a pointed hat appeared behind it.

"Thank you, Hagrid. As always, I shall take it from here." she said stiffly.

"As you say, Professor McGonagall." replied Hagrid cheerfully, and he passed the students and headed up to the Great Hall.

McGonagall led the students into the Entrance Hall and had them stand in rows of two before she gave her speech.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." she said strictly, in order to maintain a strong silence amongst the group of excited first years. "In a moment, I shall open these doors behind me, and you will be taken up through the Great Hall and up towards the teachers' table. Because before you can settle in here, you must all be Sorted into your respective houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."

She said that last word with emphatic severity.

"Your house will be like your family." continued McGonagall. "Your triumphs in your lessons here will gain you points for that house. But any rule-breaking will lose your house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup!"

The students murmured excitedly. Severus was growing increasingly anxious. He was afraid of this moment for a long time. Would the Sorting Hat see through him and realize he was originally a Slytherin? Would the Hat therefore replace him there? Would the Hat see that he was a changed person? And could Severus himself even face the possibility of becoming a Gryffindor? He had hated that house for so very long…

"I can't wait to see which house I'm in!" grinned Lily.

"No? No…me neither." whispered Severus with a smile, masking his anxiety. He noticed that McGonagall had gone to make sure that the time was right to let them in.

"No doubt which house I'm in." boasted James Potter.

"Nor me." said Sirius Black mournfully.

"Better be in Slytherin. Me 'ole family had bin there." muttered a first year whom Severus recognised to be the future Death Eater, Avery.

"Same 'ere." came the clumsy voice of Mulciber.

"Like anyone cares about losers who _want_ to be in Slytherin." snapped James.

Before another heated debate could begin, McGonagall returned and under her cat-like eyes, the students became silent once more.

"We're ready for you now. In your rows of two, follow me." she said.

McGonagall led them into the Great Hall, and Lily gasped in wonderment at the beautiful room she had entered. The hundreds of candles floating above the five tables, packed with students in their pointed wizard hats, and cups and platters crowding the table tops. The teachers perched in a row along the table at the far end of the Hall, where Lily noticed the man who visited her and her family some time ago, Albus Dumbledore. Then to her great surprise, she saw no ceiling but a night sky above.

"Bewitched to look like the sky outside." explained Severus. "Why I never got you to read Hogwarts: A History is beyond me."

Lily giggled.

They reached the end of the line and broke out of their rows into a muddled crowd.

Albus Dumbledore rose and gave his announcements, such as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, a Professor Reynolds. Severus remembered Reynolds and remembered that he died before the year ended after being poisoned by one of the plants in Professor Sprout's greenhouses. He was trying to steal it to sell, as it was rare. Then Dumbledore announced the usual rules of the Forbidden Forest and the caretaker's prohibited items. However, this caretaker was not Argus Filch. Filch hadn't joined Hogwarts until Severus' final year. This caretaker, Zeus Gardner, was a much more pleasant man, and he could use magic.

"Now for the Sorting to take place before we tuck into our feast!" announced Dumbledore, letting McGonagall take the stand with the scroll of first year names, and the Sorting Hat clutched into her hand.

Severus looked at the Hat with fear. Lily noticed, believed him to be worried about being in Slytherin and held his hand gently for support.

As the Hat sat at the stool, placed there by McGonagall, a rip appeared as a mouth and the Hat sang its most jovial and famous song.

Severus and Lily listened keenly. They kept their hands held together, happy to watch a hat sing a song.

"Magic will never stop surprising me." whispered Lily.

"I hope not." replied Severus.

As the Hat finished its song and bowed its pointed tip to the tumultuous applause that followed, it became still once more and was picked up by McGonagall, whom unrolled her scroll bearing the names of the first years in alphabetical order. Severus prepared himself intensely.

"Arnolds, Quincey." called McGonagall.

The boy with blonde hair and a nervous expression stepped forward and the Hat was placed on his head. The Hat announced: "Ravenclaw!"

Quincey Arnolds rushed happily to his seat at the Ravenclaw table.

"Avery, Bradley." said McGonagall, restraining some stiffness in her voice. Clearly she knew the Averys were a notorious family, and likely supported Voldemort.

Avery dismissively sat on the stool and within two seconds of wearing the Hat, the name "Slytherin" was announced, and Avery skulked off with a grin on his face to the Slytherin table.

After William Aviston and Morgan Bass were sorted into Hufflepuff, McGonagall called out "Black, Sirius."

Sirius approached the stool nervously. It was one of the few rare moments that Severus had not seen Sirius looking confident and smug. He sat down and after ten seconds, the Hat cried out: "Gryffindor!"

Everyone applauded, James whooped.

"Yes, Sirius!" he shouted. "Told you so!"

Sirius' grin flashed in appreciation, delight and relief and he sat at the Gryffindor table, next to a fourth year, whom Severus instantly remembered and his face paled. He remembered this boy to be the future father of a child whom he intimidated and bullied so much, that Severus himself became that boy's greatest fear and Boggart.

It was Frank Longbottom.

"I must find a way to save him and his wife one day." he thought to himself.

He was suddenly pulled out of his trance when McGonagall called out: "Evans, Lily."

Lily looked to Severus, growing scared, but Severus squeezed her hand, smiled encouragingly as he often did and she let go to sit at the stool.

The Hat touched her head, considered and then called out: "Gryffindor!"

Everyone clapped, even Severus. This proved beyond all doubt that this Lily was the exact same as the Lily he knew before, and she was a true Gryffindor.

The ensemble of students being put into their houses went on monotonously for a while, before Severus showed interest at the call of "Lupin, Remus!"

Remus Lupin staggered up to the stool.

"So nervous, he can't even move properly!" cackled a Slytherin from the table.

"Silence!" called Dumbledore harshly and silence fell again.

Remus showed some appreciation towards the Headmaster who let him into Hogwarts despite his secret lycanthropy. He sat at the stool and the Hat was placed over his head and eyes.

The Hat shouted: "Gryffindor!"

Remus smiled thankfully and walked as quickly as he could to the Gryffindor table, where Sirius patted him cheerfully on the back. Remus almost looked shocked at this warm welcome. He was clearly unused to being around other kids.

Severus almost felt pity for him, but recalled how the boy left him to be tormented for the sake of his own secrets and friendships remaining intact.

Ten minutes later, McGonagall called Peter Pettigrew's name, whom moved forward looking petrified at being called to take the stand in front of hundreds of people. He sat at the stool after enduring some cruel laughter and taunts from the Slytherins, all of who were blissfully unaware of the fact that Pettigrew could very well one day become their ally.

Severus looked at Pettigrew with raw hatred and it was all he could do to restrain himself from flying at him with fists bared. But this was something he had done before, back when Voldemort had made Pettigrew his housekeeper and slave at his home in Spinner's End.

Dumbledore looked past Pettigrew and noticed that Severus, the boy he saw briefly at Lily Evans' house was staring at Pettigrew with restrained fury beyond petty rivalry. This intrigued him, but as Severus wasn't looking him in the eye, Dumbledore could not see what was on the boy's mind.

The Hat took longest of all to choose a house for Pettigrew, but eventually called out: "Gryffindor!"

Everyone clapped but the applause was mingled with surprised calls such as "Seriously?" and "What the hell? Look at him! He's clearly a wimp!" Most of these taunts came from the Slytherin table again. Severus only inwardly groaned.

After Pettigrew sat down opposite Sirius and Remus Lupin, McGonagall called out: "Potter, James."

Severus watched coldly as his old love rival sat down and took the Hat. Dumbledore noticed Severus' hard stare again and grew more and more curious, then James was Sorted into Gryffindor and he sat down again and Severus lowered his head. It was his turn.

"Prince, Severus." called out McGonagall.

Severus moved slowly to the stool and sat down. He took one last look of trepidation at Lily, sat cheerfully at the Gryffindor table, and she whispered, "Good luck" just as McGonagall placed the Hat on Severus' head and over his eyes.

Dumbledore was watching Severus with interest.

From within the Hat, Severus heard the familiar voice speaking to him from within his head.

"Hm, very, very interesting. I haven't seen an occurrence like this before. Only a rumour that such things could even be possible since the days of Merlin. Nice to see that the rumours ring true. Hm, a Slytherin, eh? Now that is interesting indeed. A Slytherin who _wanted_ a second chance in life. Unheard of before. Most of that house showed no regrets before. And these things that have occurred in your secret past have affected your character deeply. I can no longer see you as the ambitious wizard a Slytherin would be…so that leaves three houses. Not a Hufflepuff. You are loyal, but you are beyond the friendliness of such a character with most of your peers. You have certainly all the bravery and selflessness to be a Gryffindor…oh, but the hatred in your heart and soul brought about by members of that house…and you also have the intelligence to be a Ravenclaw. It is obvious that your intellect was strong before your second chance came about…you must have been a tight choice between Ravenclaw and Slytherin to my alternate self…hm…I no longer see you as a Slytherin…I now see you as more of a…"

"RAVENCLAW!" declared the Hat out loud.

The Ravenclaw table cheered and Dumbledore smiled. This boy was truly not like his predecessors in the Prince line, and he was not a Slytherin, hence making him less suspicious of him. He was still curious at what made Severus look so hateful, but he was sure the reasons would present themselves in due course.

Lily looked rather saddened. She had hoped that Severus would be in her house, and she didn't like the idea of sharing the house of Gryffindor with that bullying pest on the train, James Potter.

As Severus sat at the table of Ravenclaw, feeling extremely foreign as he never sat here, even though he had been at Hogwarts longer than most people, he looked across to Lily. He saw the sad expression on her face. He too felt disappointed, but he knew it was for the best. He couldn't bring himself to like Gryffindor or the future Marauders, and the idea of sharing a dormitory with them was too much of a scenario for him to bear.

However, he smiled faintly at Lily and mouthed slowly, "We'll be fine."

Lily understood, nodded and smiled faintly too. She knew for sure that nothing could alter her and Severus being best friends, even though they were in separate houses.

The two friends and their new peers tucked into the feast as it magically appeared seemingly from nowhere. There were roast chickens, casseroles, stews, endless amounts of vegetables and potatoes of every variety, not to mention countless jugs of rich gravy and sweet cranberry sauce.

As Lily tucked into her chicken and sour cream, another Gryffindor girl nudged her elbow.

"Hi, my name is Mary McDonald." she said keenly.

"Um, hi." said Lily.

"Just wondered if you would like to be, um, friends." said Mary. "I don't know many people, and you look really friendly."

Lily blushed. She was becoming popular already, but she was shy.

"Okay, Mary. Um, my name is Lily Evans and I'm a Muggle-born witch. I was told about my magical identity by my best friend two and a half years ago."

"Ooh! Who's your best friend?" asked Mary.

"Severus Prince. The new Ravenclaw over there." pointed out Lily.

"That's the boy that the Sorting Hat took the longest to select." said Mary.

Now she came to mention it, Lily saw that Mary had a point. Severus did spend a lengthy amount of time wearing the Hat. She shrugged.

"I think that might be because Severus' family on his mother's side were all from Slytherin." she explained. "He is the odd one out of them because his mum married a Muggle. Severus is Half-blood. He and his mother reunited with his grandparents not long after we first met. His whole family are so nice, and the grandparents' house is like-wow! Amazing! Their dining room is almost the same size as this room!" she observed.

Mary frowned in Severus' direction.

"That kid is from a Slytherin family? The Prince family?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yes, he is. Any problems with that?" asked Lily sternly.

"Well, Lily, um…do you know the reputation of Slytherin House?" asked Mary.

"Yes, I'm aware that Slytherin are old-fashioned and egotistic. I know they tend to be abusive and racist towards Muggles and Muggle-borns, such as myself. But Severus isn't like them, otherwise why would he have been sorted into Ravenclaw?" said Lily stiffly. "Besides, he knew I came from a Muggle family from the moment we met. I was with my sister in a playground and he could see clearly that she possessed no magic, and when I named her as my sister, he realized I was Muggle-born, but I was still a witch and that's what mattered to Sev. And he's a Half-blood. His mother married a Muggle, so he's not exactly a purist, is he? He told me what I was, and he introduced me to so much. He showed me the wonders of the Wizarding World, helped me fit into it, even helped my sister come to terms that she couldn't come here with us. Severus Prince is my best friend, and I owe him so much. He has been through a lot in his life already, and he's only just started to have a normal family again. His grandparents reconciled with his mother and met him two years ago, and now they are as close as I am with my family. His existence has even ended their own prejudice towards Muggle-borns. His grandparents and his mother are now close friends with my parents. I don't know why I have to keep reassuring people today, but the Princes are good people!"

"Okay, okay, sorry, Lily!" said Mary, then she thought. "I guess my parents _have_ been saying that the big guy of the Prince family has been acting friendlier in the last year or more. I think it was in the _Daily Prophet."_

"Yes, he is more friendly than he was, like I said." affirmed Lily.

"Well, at least Severus is in Ravenclaw, not Slytherin." said Mary. "If he were put in Slytherin and was still as you say he is now, nobody would give him a chance. There's not a witch or a wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin. Slytherin is much more notorious now that the darkest wizard of time is known to have come from that House."

Lily sat thoughtfully. "I don't think every witch and wizard in Slytherin can be all bad. Look at the Princes now, and even before when they were prejudiced, Sev's mum clearly wasn't. She married a Muggle wholeheartedly."

"Yeah…and I suppose Professor Slughorn is okay." added Mary.

"Who?" asked Lily.

"Over there. Really fat teacher, looks like a walrus." pointed out Mary.

Lily saw the man Mary was referring to. His gigantic belly almost perched upon the table as he tucked into at least three people's worth of chicken piled on his plate.

"Who is he?" she asked.

"He's the Potions Master at Hogwarts, and the Head of Slytherin House." said Mary. "My parents say that he taught them and was never once known as a prejudiced and cold-hearted man, though he does apparently have a habit of favouriting students with exceptional qualities in magic or sub-magic talents. They said he was likely the kindest and most jolly man that Slytherin ever coughed up."

Lily smiled. "So there is proof then even here that not Slytherins are bad. I bet not all the Slytherins in our first year group will turn out supremacist and cruel."

Mary smiled too. "Perhaps you're right, Lily. But good luck trying to convince the rest of the students."

Lily knew that would be difficult. Even Sirius Black saw nothing but evil from Slytherin and he was raised by a Slytherin family.

Meanwhile, Severus sat eating some chicken wings with mashed potato when he was nudged rather like Lily had been in a shy way. He looked nervously to see who it was. It was the first to be Sorted, Quincey Arnolds.

"Hi." said Quincey shyly.

"Um, hi." replied Severus.

"I'm, um, new. I never knew I was a wizard until a few months ago when I got my letter." began Quincey.

"You're a Muggle-born, then?" asked Severus.

"Yeah." said Quincey, and he looked down at his sweet potatoes despondently. "I sat on the train with a bunch of other kids, and when they asked which wizarding family I was from, I said I was from the Arnolds family. They said it wasn't a name they knew, and asked what they did. I explained that they were doctors. Then they asked if I meant Healers at St Mungo's and I said no, they work in Southampton General Hospital…and they went mad. They started yelling at me, calling me 'Mudblood' and…they said…that I was contaminating the air of the compartment with my presence!"

Quincey was shedding tears, but kept still and silent after that.

"Um, Quincey." said Severus awkwardly. "You don't need to be ashamed of being from a Muggle family. Those guys were just bullies who believe Muggle-borns and Half-bloods shouldn't have the privilege to learn magic. I promise that you won't be bullied by everyone."

"He's right." said a second year Ravenclaw girl with blonde hair with brown highlights. "We Ravenclaws don't have anything against you, Quincey. And nor do the Gryffindors nor the Hufflepuffs. Just steer clear of most of the Slytherins and you'll be okay."

"Thanks." said Quincey wiping his eyes.

"Thanks, um…" started Severus.

"My name is Nora Waynefleet."

"Thank you, Nora." replied Quincey softly.

The rest of the feast passed by smoothly. Severus and Quincey soon became friendlier towards another and chatted cheerfully between mouthfuls of food. Nora joined in with her friend, Elizabeth Burns, whom was also second year, with brunette hair and a pale complexion similar to Severus'. As for Lily, she and Mary started talking to an alternate version of Marlene McKinnon and her best friend from home, Rebecca Castle. The four became four close friends immediately, though Lily wasn't so keen after noticing Marlene and Mary paying close attention to James Potter and Sirius Black, who were hyperactively celebrating their mutual Sorting into Gryffindor.

Those two tried to harass Severus for coming from a Slytherin family." said Lily coldly to Mary. "Potter even had the gall to suggest Sev's mum murdered her own husband."

"His dad is dead?" said Mary. "Why?"

"He fell down the stairs in the pub near where we live. He broke his neck in the fall." Lily didn't say any more than that.

"Wow…Severus sure has had a tough life so far." said Mary sympathetically. "But at least he met you afterwards."

Lily smiled. "We were lucky to have met each other."

Severus and Lily looked at each other, saw the other seemed to be fitting in with their housemates splendidly, and nodded and smiled to one another.

Dumbledore soon declared the feast to be over, and sent the students off to bed.

The prefects led their students to their respective dormitories. Lucius Malfoy demonstrated the most dominant voice of all.

"Come along, to the dungeons at once. Don't delay!" he called authoritatively.

Severus rolled his eyes at Malfoy. It was weird to think he would no longer be friends with the future father of Draco Malfoy, but in his last years in his past life, Severus often wondered he had even befriended the fool in the first place.

As the groups made their way to the common rooms, the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws walked along side by side up the massive staircases, and Severus and Lily found themselves walking alongside each other.

"This was a fun start, then?" suggested Severus.

"Yeah." agreed Lily. "Although I am sorry that we're not in the same house." she added sadly.

"Hey." replied Severus assuredly. "It doesn't matter. We'll always be best friends, and together we will show those Voldemort followers and we will make other friends, help Petunia get some magic in her life and we will become great sorcerers together! Nothing can stop us now, Lils!"

"You can bet on that, Sev!" grinned Lily. "Goodnight!"

"Night, Lils." Severus smiled in amusement as Lily comprehended that the staircases were moving around.

Severus' group came to the spiral staircase of Ravenclaw Tower, where their common room was situated. There was a door at the top with a knocker shaped like an eagle's head. Then it spoke.

"I see without seeing. Day is as dark as night to me. What am I?" asked the knocker.

"Blind as a bat." replied the Ravenclaw prefect at the head of the group.

"Correct. Enter." said the knocker approvingly.

The prefects led the boys and the girls in separate lines into their common room. Severus surprisingly had never seen this room in Hogwarts before. The room had a domed ceiling unveiling the night sky around them, with lamps all over the room to aid the light, as well as a snug looking fireplace surrounded by settees and armchairs. There were bookshelves at the far end, along with a statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, and the floor was blue like the House colours of blue and bronze, with stars around it reflecting the sky.

"The boys' rooms are to the left and the girls' rooms are to the right." said the second prefect.

As Quincey and the others went into their rooms to find their bunks and possessions, Severus stood silently and alone for a moment in the common room. Several things had sprung to mind at this point.

He noticed that Lily had approached him and spoken to him cheerfully after the Sorting had ended and went to bed. But the weird thing was that she didn't do this in his past life when he was Sorted into Slytherin. In fact, she seemed slightly reluctant to speak to him in their first classes that first day either.

Was his relationship with Lily really that shallow back then? Was it not his fascination with the Dark Arts that first began the strain on their friendship all those years ago? Perhaps it was the fact that he was a Slytherin that altered things.

And then he thought of this whole experience here in the common room of Ravenclaw. He was a Ravenclaw. He was to wear the colours of blue and bronze, not green and silver. He was no longer prejudiced by every student for the House he was in, though he doubted James Potter and his cronies would stop though.

It was only now that Severus realized that perhaps this new Lily in his second life was different to the original after all. This Lily was less prejudiced and less judgmental. She was a kinder child. And he also now realized and accepted that he wasn't the same anymore either. He was a good person, a Ravenclaw student at Hogwarts…and he now felt sure that he was no longer a cursed child.

 **(And there's Chapter 12. Chapter 13 coming on Friday perhaps. Sorry for the riddle from Batman Forever. I don't know many riddles, and as bats are known in the Wizarding World, it seemed as fitting a riddle as any. Please read and review. Thank you.)**


	13. Chapter 13: First Day

**Chapter 13: First Day**

The dawn of the first day at Hogwarts was pleasant and hailed by carolling birds nesting in the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Severus and Lily awoke relatively early as they were hardly able to wait for their first day of lessons, albeit for different reasons. Severus was keen to spend time with Lily at Hogwarts and compensate for the soured friendship he had with his original best friend. Lily was keen because she wanted desperately to begin learning basic magic, although she was nervous, and looked forward to learning alongside Severus and was equally confident that he could provide her some encouragement and guidance.

Severus also believed that his past life would enable him to help Lily, although he knew that her original counterpart learned just as keenly and elegantly as Hermione Granger had done, and departed Hogwarts with all the grades required to get all the potential jobs she had considered during fifth year, or at least all the careers she had mentioned to Severus before she ended their friendship that night.

Although Severus was beyond happy to have his second chance with the Lily who seemed to be the perfect friend, he still felt a strong despair at the realization that his first true love had been so susceptible and less of a friend than he had thought, and therefore even less of a true love to him…was it all because he was in Slytherin and had a fondness for the Dark Arts? This explained her expression by the lake on that doomed day…she smirked at him however briefly as though she was enjoying his suffering. And now he was sure he now understood why. Although Lily claimed to be his best friend, the seed had been sown to simply keep up the friendship for the sake of how things were before Hogwarts, but deep down know that she didn't really care for him in the way she once had when they were little. Severus couldn't help but feel some anger to Lily for this…how could he be expected to maintain a friendship with her in Heaven? But then he thought of how remorseful and saddened she had been when they met once more in Heaven. As much as it pained her to admit she could never love him in the way she loved James, she _did_ show genuine remorse and repentance as she confessed it all, just as Severus had shown it when he confessed and apologised for all his sins towards her and her son.

As Severus thought all this, he suddenly realized that he was walking down the steps of Ravenclaw Tower and nearly stumbled down it, but quickly reasserted himself, gripping the stone bannister. After exhaling in relief, he walked down the rest of the spiral staircase and knowing he couldn't make out like he knew where the Gryffindor common room was this early in the first year, he decided to rendezvous with Lily at the doorway of the Great Hall.

Severus was almost over-excited to see Lily, even though they had only been apart for ten or eleven hours. He was just so happy to have this new Lily to spend time with, maybe even the rest of his life with. After his epiphany last night which stretched on into this morning, he had a newfound appreciation of Lily. He felt as though his second chance had been gotten used to in the last year or so of spending all his time with Lily, and having dinner parties with her family, outings with her and Eileen and secret talks about magic with her and Petunia. He simply assimilated into his new life so well, that he had seemingly started to take it for granted.

"Never again." he said to himself.

He knew full well now, more than he had before, that this second chance with a second Lily was not worth trading for the Dark Arts, or indeed for anything or anyone else.

Severus soon found himself waiting outside the Great Hall, and soon enough, Lily came down, accompanied by Mary MacDonald. They saw Severus waiting and Lily gestured for Mary to go on ahead. Mary looked to Severus with some hesitation at first, but then smiled politely and walked on into the Hall.

Lily came up and hugged her best friend…her true best friend.

"Hey, Sev!" she almost squealed her excitement. "Today's our first day of learning!"

"Yep!" replied Severus. "We'll get our timetables from our Heads of House during breakfast, I think. After all, how else will we know when and where to go between now and after breakfast?"

"Very clever deduction." replied Lily. "No wonder you were put in Ravenclaw."

Severus felt grateful for his Sorting to give Lily that conclusion to his uncanny deduction that wasn't a deduction, but an experienced memory.

"Yeah, I guess. Wish you were in that house too." he said a little morosely.

"To tell you the truth, I wish I was too." replied Lily. "Not that I hate the common room or anything. And I think Mary and I will be great friends…but…"

"But what?" asked Severus. He was surprised. The Lily of old never showed regret for being in Gryffindor. If anything, she showed disdain that Severus was in Slytherin.

"I don't like that Potter kid being in my house. Just before we all settled into our quarters, he came up to me and said: 'I'm glad you didn't take that Prince loser's example and get yourself Sorted into Snivelling Slytherin.'"

Severus frowned with deep dislike.

"Nobody can help where they get Sorted!" he snapped, unaware that Harry Potter chose Gryffindor over Slytherin.

"I know." said Lily in an attempt to sooth her friend. "And I said right back to him: 'If it hadn't been noticed by you, Potter, Sev didn't get Sorted into Slytherin either. He's a Ravenclaw!' And I also pointed out that the other boy on the train he was with, Sirius Black, was also Sorted into Gryffindor, even though his family were Slytherins, so why can't he show the same benefit of the doubt for you as he did for Sirius?"

"What did he say to that?" asked Severus doubtfully.

"He just shrugged and said that the Sorting Hat has been known to make mistakes a few times in its history." said Lily coldly. "He's like a kid half our age. Stubborn to the last."

Severus relished Lily's contempt at this James Potter.

"Let's forget him. Let's have breakfast and get ready for our first set of lessons!" he said with a more cheerful pitch.

Lily nodded keenly, they hugged one more time and then separated to go to their respective tables.

After a filling English breakfast, without the mushrooms, Severus saw his new Head of House, Professor Filius Flitwick walk up to the table and hand out the first-year timetables.

Severus took his with an eagerness he only ever experienced once before in his old life, and that was on the alternate version of this day. He glanced over the timetable for Wednesdays and saw to his joy that the first lessons were Potions, Transfiguration, History of Magic and Charms. Transfiguration and Charms were classes shared by Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. He was very excited to learn in those classes with Lily. He knew full well that Lily would exceed at Charms as her best subject.

The only snag was that Lily would be sharing all her lessons with James Potter. What if he started to push her against Severus in all those hours working together?

Maybe that's what he did in the other life…but then again, she didn't end their friendship with him back then until fifth year…but all the same, he and other prejudiced Gryffindors had sown the seed against him for her.

He shook his head. This Lily knew him well. She saw him as her best friend beyond starting Hogwarts, and he himself was a different person now. He was a Ravenclaw and a Prince, and dead against the Dark Arts. Severus had no need to worry about Lily leaving him out of his passion for the Dark Arts and his House. But he was still worried about losing her for looks. After all, despite his fixed nose and better kept attire, James Potter was still more handsome than him. He couldn't deny that.

"Come on, Severus." his brain seemed to say to him. "Do you really think either Lily is that superficial?"

Severus could only reply that in the first Lily's case, he wasn't so sure anymore. But this Lily…no! No, she wasn't. She was the perfect friend. And she always will be this time. He'll make sure he won't lose her again.

After breakfast, the two friends waved each other off and went to their first lessons. Severus walked with his fellow Ravenclaws and a group of first-year Hufflepuffs to the dungeons for their first Potions class with Professor Slughorn.

Slughorn greeted the class warmly. Severus suddenly noticed that in comparison to how he kept it as a Potions professor himself, Slughorn kept the classroom much better than he himself did. Severus didn't really care that much. He cleaned up disastrously ruined potions but that was as far as he came to cleanliness.

"Good morning, class." said Slughorn welcomingly. "I understand this is your very first lesson at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and this must all be nerve-wracking to you. However, I am a lenient professor and a friendly one. I will only offer you some basic readings today, and by the end of the lesson, I would like you to prepare your ingredients needed for the next lesson where you _will_ be expected to attempt concocting the basic Hiccup Relief Potion. Once you have collected all the necessary ingredients, I would like you to place them in these bags I have left on your desks and then label them with your name and hand them to me, so I can store them for you. Start reading and studying. Pay close attention to what ingredients you will need, and you will find the appropriate potion I want you to study on page 394."

Severus opened his book, but as he started to read the pages, he felt a sudden unfamiliarity with what he was doing. He knew with certainty that he had made this potion before in his previous life…but for the life of him, he couldn't remember how he had done it. In fact, he couldn't remember how he made the Wolfsbane Potion for Lupin, nor how he made the powerful potion that spared Dumbledore's life for a year. It was as if all memory of his accomplishments in his education and his expertise in all of his lessons were gone.

"The Higher Ones must have made it so I would have to start over from scratch." he thought to himself.

This was both a relief and a hindrance to Severus. It was a relief so that he would have less talent than a first year would be expected to have and attract Dumbledore's suspicions, but the hindrance was the annoyance that he would have to study and learn all over again, and he would not be as much a help to Lily than he had thought, though he would still be as helpful as she would expect him to be.

So Severus studied and worked hard, and after that first lesson and still being able to prepare his ingredients as easily as any other student, and having the time to help Quincey prepare his ingredients too, he decided that not remembering everything from his education in his past life was much more of a good thing than a bad thing, because he now got to relish all of his accomplishments once again and feel the joy of being praised without being brought down by the Marauders or other immature students. Hell, apart from his Arithmancy lessons with the Slytherins, he wouldn't even have to face the prejudice and insults from his former friends. James Potter and Sirius Black might still give him a hard time for being from a Slytherin family, but Remus Lupin would see sense that he was not a bad person, and he could handle Pettigrew very well anyway.

Next Severus and Lily were seated together for Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall, along with Mary and Quincey.

Severus couldn't help but think poorly of Mary at first, due to her influence over Lily in his first life, but after some helpful insights on both parts, they became quite friendly with one another, and Mary's concerns of Severus dissipated fast. Severus found her to be a friendly individual but all the same, he mostly decided to keep a friendship with her to avoid suspicion from Lily, as well as to keep himself in Lily's good books.

McGonagall was obviously less lenient than Slughorn had been, but she still understood the current lack of experience and, resultantly, low limits that they had as first years so simply gave them three wand movements for basic transfigurations of concrete objects.

Lily and Severus were both showing good promise, though Quincey struggled and Mary's wand flew from her hand on one occasion and hit Peter Pettigrew on the head. Lily was showing more skill on the subject than even Severus and he was very proud that she took the books he recommended to her and bought for her seriously.

The bell rang for lunch and the four friends had to separate once again. But they ate quickly and hung out together in the grounds, not far from the lake.

As they sat on their robes on the damp ground, they heard the booming voice of Hagrid yell out.

"OI! FANG! DON'T YA DARE!"

Before Mary knew it, she was keeled over and pinned down by a gigantic boarhound and having literally her entire face licked by its tongue.

Quincey rushed up and tried to pull the hound off Mary but to no avail.

"Fang, ya daft dog! GET OFF HER!" Hagrid pounded up and, with ease, dragged Fang off of Mary whom looked appalled at being covered in dog saliva.

"Dear me, sorry bout that." said Hagrid abashedly.

"That's, ugh, fine." replied Mary callously. "I'm gonna clean up my face in the bathroom, Lily. See you in class."

With that, Mary took her bag and robe and sprinted up to the castle once more.

"Oh dear, think we upset her." sighed Hagrid, keeping a firm, massive hand around Fang's collar, who was now sitting on his hind legs with a look of cuteness that made Lily smile.

"She'll be fine." she said. "Thanks for bringing us up here last night, Mr, uh…?"

"Name's Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of keys and grounds of this school."

"It must be fun working and living here." said Quincey with keen interest.

"Oh, yes, Hogwarts has been my true home since I was bout, erm, thirteen. Professor Dumbledore, great man that he is, let me live here after me dad died." said Hagrid. "Bin the gamekeeper since I was of age."

Hagrid and the remaining three had a cheerful conversation, though Severus knew all of Hagrid's unhealthy habits with magical creatures, and the reason why he was being secretive about his background as a half-giant and expelled student after being framed for opening the Chamber of Secrets. He decided that he would have to make sure Lily and Quincey would avoid any invitation to see any creatures Hagrid might try to bend the rules to show them.

By the time the lunch break was over, the three friends were invited by Hagrid to join him for a cup of tea and some cake on Saturday, and he extended the invite to Mary as well to say sorry for Fang's behaviour.

"I like Hagrid." observed Lily as they walked back up to the castle.

"Me too. He's a hoot." added Quincey.

"He's okay." said Severus. "But if he has a dog that size, I wonder what other pets he may have. He's big enough to probably master enough of them."

"Maybe we'll see on Saturday." said Lily. "OH! What if he can show us some unicorns?"

Severus decided to let her dream on about that, as he knew the unicorns were hard to come by as they lived in the Forbidden Forest.

Lily separated from Severus and Quincey to go and find Mary and have their first flying lesson.

Severus and Quincey found themselves going through the far more tedious and down to earth lesson that was History of Magic taught by the ghostly Professor Binns.

Binns gave them a few chapters to read through to get them the basic knowledge of the first years of magic, back in the days of Merlin, though to Severus and Quincey's chagrin, as well as everybody else's, the chapters on these had no consequential of definitive facts within them, and so the first lesson was just an incredibly boring and possibly useless reading session.

By the time that lesson was over, the two of them headed for Charms which was going to be taught by their Head of House, Flitwick. Lily and a cleaned-up Mary were waiting there for them, but unfortunately, so were James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew.

Pettigrew seemed to have gotten into Potter's good books.

"Peter here says your wand hurt him, Prince." said Potter darkly.

"No, actually, it was my wand." said Mary apologetically. She still seemed to be looking at Potter with an admirable glance.

"Your wand may have flown around, Mary." said James in a falsely polite voice. "But Peter is insistent that it was Prince's. Trying to assault the Gryffindors and frame another Gryffindor for it? Not very fitting for a Ravenclaw, but for a Slytherin…definitely."

Mary's admirable face slowly turned to a grimace.

"My wand never left my hand." snapped Severus with restraint. "Ask Mary, Lily or Quincey. Hell, ask McGonagall if you want. Pettigrew is probably saying that it was me to get into your popular group or maybe he's just as thick as he looks."

Pettigrew scowled but when Severus looked back to him coldly and in an alarmingly despising way, he cowered behind Potter. Black, on the other hand, was cackling at Severus' comeback to the accusations.

"Let's be fair, James, mate." said Sirius after calming his laughter. "I saw that it was MacDonald's wand that hit Peter. Prince's wand never left his hand. He and Evans were probably the best ones in the class, except for maybe you and I."

"You're kidding, right?" laughed Quincey. "Potter's wand wouldn't stop twitching, he nearly dropped it on my head after getting too frustrated."

Sirius suppressed another chuckle.

"I too can verify that Peter's either lying or being unobservant." said a timid but consistent voice.

It was Lupin.

"Who are you to call my friend a liar?" asked Potter.

"Your friend?" snapped Lupin. "James, you were telling him to go away last night when he tried to say hello to you and Sirius in the common room last night. You're only warming up to him now cos he accused Severus of bullying him. And what do you have against him anyway?"

"You don't know?" Potter spoke as though it were obvious. "He's a Prince. They're a family of Slytherins! He's a Voldemort supporter!"

All eyes from the Gryffindors turned on Severus with looks of horror, curiosity or disapproval. Pettigrew's eyes showed his characteristic cowardliness but also showed a look that would have made people think he was eyeing up a loathsome slug munching on bird droppings.

Lily walked defiantly up to Potter and Pettigrew.

"Sev is my best friend and is _not_ a Voldemort supporter. Get that into your prejudiced skull, you dopey moron!" she seethed.

Mary stepped up next. "And Peter, I'm no longer sorry for hitting you with my wand. In fact, I hope you're stupid enough to take your own eye out with your own wand. That may be able to give you a decent excuse to accuse my friend of something he didn't do!"

Quincey followed. "And Potter, close your mouth. You'll catch a fly!"

Potter's jaw snapped shut at that, but before he could expose Quincey to the tip of his wand, Flitwick opened his classroom door.

"What's all this, then?" he squeaked.

"Pettigrew and Potter have been telling lies about Severus, sir." said Quincey.

"And insulting him because of his lineage." added Mary.

"I see. I want a word with the three of you at the end of the lesson, boys. But for now, everyone be seated in the classroom, and I think it'd be best if Potter and Pettigrew, you sit up the front with me today, and Mr Prince, you can sit further back to keep a distance."

"Yes, Professor." said the three boys in unison.

Severus sat with Lily, Mary and Quincey again at the back of the room, and surprisingly, Black and Lupin followed. Lupin sat down, but Black only stood before the group and spoke.

"Just wanna apologise for James' attitude." he said. "I know our families were Slytherins, but I've been going over what Lily said to me on the train yesterday, and I have seen clearly that you're a good friend to her despite her being from a Muggle family and community. So, um, yeah. I may have misjudged you, and um, I'm sorry for _my_ attitude as well, Prince. It's just that I, um…I have a hard time believing that Slytherins are good, especially considering that I've been raised by them, and I don't like how they think of anyone who isn't a Pure Blood. But I like the idea that there is someone else like me. Someone who came from a Slytherin family, but wound up in a different House. So, yeah, um, I hope we can um, just forget about what went down yesterday."

Severus was trying and failing to not look flabbergasted. Sirius Black was showing repentance for judging and insulting him. Maybe this version was a better person, like his grandparents had turned out to be, or maybe it was just because they now had more in common, and the fact he wasn't in Slytherin.

Severus looked to Lily, whom smiled at him in an encouraging sort of way. He would very much have liked to tell Black to shove off, but he couldn't say as such and justify it in front of any of them. So, he decided to play the game and see how things went, though it would be a long time before he could ever truly trust or befriend Black; even though this was only an alternate version of the devil of a man who bullied him almost as much as the counterpart of James Potter.

"Sure, I guess." he said eventually.

"Great, um, see ya then." said Sirius turning back towards James. "Oh, and um, Remus, right?"

Lupin looked surprised. "Y-yes?"

"Cool. Wanna hang out at dinner and back at the common room?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, sure, why not?"

"Well, um, yeah. Sure! Thank you!" said Lupin almost too enthusiastically.

When everyone looked at him in puzzlement, Severus' expression feigned, Lupin explained sheepishly. "I don't have many friends."

"Well, you have one now." said Sirius cheerily. "Talk later."

Sirius escaped the doubly awkward situation and joined Potter and Pettigrew at the front of the class.

"Did that just happen?" asked Severus.

"You sound surprised." said Lily cheekily. "Who wouldn't wanna be your friend? You can afford to buy us all at least five gifts each this Christmas."

Everyone laughed, except Lupin, whom returned to looking lonesome.

"Hey, Remus." piped up Lily. "Wanna sit a bit closer to us?"

"Y-y-you sure I wouldn't be imposing?" asked Remus.

"Not at all. Come on, don't be shy." agreed Mary.

Soon enough, the four friends became five and under Flitwick's guidance, they had a pleasant class, and Severus and Lily once again showed decent skills, whereas Quincey needed some help here and there, Remus and Mary were fair enough, but still struggled, and Potter and Pettigrew proved almost completely incompetent, but Potter was having trouble mostly because of having to show Pettigrew what to do, despite Flitwick's illustrated instructions on the board.

After the lesson ended, Flitwick ordered for Severus, Potter and Pettigrew to remain behind. He also asked Lily, Mary, Quincey, Sirius and Remus to remain outside just in case he needed some verification. Lily winked to Severus and went with the others outside the door.

"Now then." said Flitwick sternly. "I must say I don't recall ever having to deal with some first-year students on the very first day of their education. Now I heard from several witnesses that you two were harassing Mr Prince for being an enthusiast of He Who Must Not Be Named. What gave you that impression, may I ask?"

"His family are the Princes, sir." said Potter childishly.

"Your point?" asked Flitwick, crossing his arms with severity.

"The whole family, except him, were in Slytherin."

"Well, he is in Ravenclaw, and from what I hear from Professor Dumbledore himself, the Princes are a reformed and much more sociable family. And besides, Slytherins are not all bad just because You Know Who was in that House. Look at Professor Slughorn for instance."

Potter couldn't say more. He daren't insult a teacher in front of another teacher. Pettigrew hung his head low with his shoulders slumped weakly.

"I don't think I need to hear anymore." squeaked Flitwick lowly. "Neither of you have denied the accusations and you, Mr Potter, have openly admitted that you dislike Mr Prince because of his family history. I will be taking ten points each from Gryffindor. That's twenty points in total, and I will meet you both tomorrow evening for detention."

"But, sir-"

"That's not-"

"Fair?" finished Flitwick sharply. "Neither is harassing a student just because you don't like his background. Now kindly see yourselves out until tomorrow."

After Potter stormed out, followed by the sniffling and waddling Pettigrew, Flitwick addressed Severus.

"Any more trouble from those two boys or indeed anybody else, Mr Prince, I'd like you to come straight to me."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, Professor." Severus was then dismissed too.

Dinner was very cheerful that evening. Lily, Mary and Remus sat together at the Gryffindor table, whilst Severus and Quincey sat together at the Ravenclaw table. The two tables were next to each other, so the party sat close to each other and turned around to chat whenever they weren't eating.

Potter and Pettigrew were looking at them mutinously. Potter particularly disliked Severus still. He also found a new interest in the frailty of Remus. He decided to interrogate him for his ailments later.

Also watching them were Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick. They all looked approving.

"Nice to see members from different Houses come together as close friends on the very first day." said Dumbledore cheerfully.

"And they came to each other's defence very quickly today." added Flitwick.

"How so?" asked Dumbledore.

"Ah, I'm sad to say that two of my Gryffindor first-years were harassing and lying about Mr Prince, from Filius' House." explained McGonagall.

"Very quick to come to his aid and defend his name, those Gryffindors he's currently chatting with though." said Flitwick.

Dumbledore smiled. Severus and Lily have interested him. He wondered who Severus was out of curiosity when he saw him at Lily's house that day, and found out that he was the grandson of the difficult Septimus Prince, and not long after, realized that Septimus' redeeming personality was borne from his reunion with his daughter, Eileen and resultantly, his new grandchild, Severus. He felt that Severus was a very enigmatic boy and was keen to learn more of him during his time at Hogwarts.

However, this was exactly what Severus didn't want. And if he knew that Dumbledore was thinking at this moment, his pale face would have turned as white as a unicorn.

And little did he know that Dumbledore would indeed be learning more of him as the first year moved onward.

 **(Here's Chapter 13. Sorry if this chapter isn't very accurate. I had very controversial research to go upon on classes and houses working together, and the House tables etc. Hope you enjoy reading it nonetheless. Please review, thank you again for reading!)**


	14. Chapter 14: The Wolfsbane Acceleration

**Chapter 14: The Wolfsbane Acceleration**

That same evening, in the Gryffindor common room, Lily, Mary and Remus entered and sat down on the soft settees beside the fire. Remus was sat on a chair on his own. He was closer to the girls but still felt certain that if they, or anyone found out the truth of his lycanthropy, he would be condemned to a life of expulsion, seclusion and misery. His condition already guaranteed that he would not be a successful or indeed, comfortable man in his elder years. He would definitely live a life of squalor, dimness and poverty…but he at least wanted in his adolescent years, to have friends.

As the three of them sat and chatted, mostly girl talk, due to Remus' reluctance to get too close, as well as the fact that he was particularly tired and achy, since full moon would occur this Sunday. Professor Dumbledore had informed his family that arrangements had been made so that he would not be a threat to anyone, and he was to see him about it on the Saturday morning beforehand.

Just then, Sirius came up to them and asked to sit beside Remus. He nodded shyly and budged up a bit so that Sirius could sit down.

"So, what's up, Remus?" he asked cheerfully. "And Lily and Mary, how you both doing?"

He addressed the girls flirtatiously.

"We're fine, thanks." said Lily in a flattered but emotionless tone.

"Just fine." said Mary in a dreamy voice, which Sirius was relishing on.

He never had much contact with young girls except his cousins and his mother, and only Andromeda Black was worth noting as a good example of a lady. He was by no means attracted to her, but he was curious about girls at his early age already.

"Remus?"

"Yeah, um, yeah, I'm good." Remus had been very keen earlier to be friends with Sirius but was feeling excruciatingly tired at this moment.

"You don't look good, Remus." said Mary concernedly.

"Oh, thanks!" chuckled Remus.

"No, I see what she means, Remus." added Lily. "You look very pale."

"Are you ill?" asked Sirius shifting back a little.

"I do feel tired, and I often am ill, yes. I was weak since birth. The Muggle doctors never had a full explanation for it."

"What about the Healers at St Mungo's?" asked Sirius. "They know every illness there is, magical or otherwise."

Remus' pale complexion seemed to increase tenfold. "My family took me there a few times, but the Healers said it was unable to be diagnosed to a specific ailment, but they do know for certain that it is incurable at this stage."

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, Remus." said Lily.

"That's a load of rubbish." said a voice.

Everyone turned to see James Potter come in, followed in a worshipping posture by Peter Pettigrew.

"What?" asked Mary coldly. Lily noticed that her previous demeanour towards Potter seemed to have completely vanished.

"St. Mungo's know every single illness there is, just as Sirius said. There is no way they couldn't diagnose Lupin's illness. That suggests to me that he is lying to us. You're not ill at all, are you?"

Remus looked mutinous and afraid at the same time.

"Or…" muttered Potter, "…you are ill, but you don't want any of us to know what the illness is. What are you hiding, Lupin?"

"Yeah, what?" added Peter, in an attempt to be intimidating.

Remus didn't answer.

"He says he's ill and doesn't know what it is, James. Leave it out. It's not like he's some Voldemort lover." said Sirius defensively.

"Any more than Sirius and Severus are." added Lily.

Potter fumed at how even Sirius was turning against him.

"Gryffindor or not, Lupin is lying to you guys, and one way or another, I'm gonna find out what it is he is hiding."

He skulked off to the dormitories, followed by Pettigrew, like a ratty tail attached to the handsome stag.

"Sorry about him, Remus." said Sirius. "He's been uptight ever since he met Prince. He seemed to be quite a cool guy when I met him before that moment."

Remus said nothing. He just quickly slipped away into the dormitories too.

"Should you go and make sure Potter doesn't harass him again?" asked Lily.

Sirius considered that possibility and went.

"Well…Potter's not as nice as I thought." said Mary awkwardly.

"Cos you were basing him on his looks and not his personality." teased Lily.

Mary blushed. "Well, he looks cute."

"Cute looks hiding a rather ugly personality, I think." replied Lily bluntly.

Mary had to agree.

Severus enjoyed the remainder of his first few days learning at Hogwarts, but his lost memories of what he had learned still meant that he would go through the tedious and difficult studying preparing for his exams, particularly his OWLs and NEWTs.

However, this was a joy to some extent, as most of his free time with Lily had been helping one another on revision.

Lily was enjoying herself too. In the space of just these three to four days, she and Mary were almost the best of friends, aside from Severus, of course. They never had a moment without the other's company, and Mary filled the void for Lily whenever she couldn't spend her time with Severus. She was looking forward to tomorrow, a Saturday, so she and Mary could spend the whole weekend doing homework with Severus.

Remus was getting noticeably weaker and more tired around them.

Severus knew that full moon was imminent, and to keep Remus' peace of mind amongst his new friends, he himself always found an innocent way to distract Lily, Quincey and Mary from questioning his mysterious illness, and this was often successful, and did not arouse Remus' suspicions. However, Severus soon found that he could not deter Sirius Black nor James Potter that easily.

Potter constantly hounded Remus for his illness and kept demanding to know why Remus was keeping so much of a secret about the nature of it, and even showed repulse at the possibility of it being contagious.

Sirius was by no means as cold towards Remus, but nor did he completely object to Potter's methods as he saw him as his first true friend upon leaving home to go to Hogwarts. The only one in his family who came close was Andromeda, but they didn't meet often, especially after she left home to marry the Muggle, Ted Tonks. They married two years ago. Sirius was so happy for her, but was saddened that he would never be able to see her again in family gatherings, at least not until he came of age to meet her himself.

Sirius often consoled Remus after Potter's harassments, but still could not mask his own curiosity.

Remus eventually said. "I wish I could explain, but I simply cannot."

Sirius took that to mean that Remus didn't understand it very well himself, but what the latter really meant was that he longed to tell them all, but could not out of fear of rejection and expulsion.

The weekend finally came after their first lesson of Defence Against the Dark Arts came to an end. Professor Reynolds ordered them to study the movements of the Bat Bogey Hex for next week's lesson.

It was on the Saturday morning that Severus, Lily and their friends went to the Owlery to send off their letters to their parents. It was the first opportunity they had in all the excitement.

Severus wrote to his mother about being in Ravenclaw, and making some new friends, particularly Quincey. He also spoke of how much fun he and Lily had in their first lessons and that they had faced James Potter, but he wasn't causing too much trouble for their friendship this time.

Lily wrote of how she was put in Gryffindor, and how much fun it all was. She asked her parents to not show Petunia the letter as it might spark some jealousy, but to let them know she was planning to speak to Professor Dumbledore over the weekend about tutoring her.

Soon enough, all the letters were on their way. Gabriel took Lily's letter and Severus used a regular owl from the Owlery to deliver his.

Then they all went out onto the grounds, and found Remus Lupin with Sirius Black. Remus was looking paler than at breakfast which was barely an hour ago, but he had a bright smile, as he and Sirius were becoming more and more friendly with one another. James Potter suddenly came onto the grounds too, and deliberately shoved past Severus with such force, he was knocked off his feet and nearly rolled down the slope.

"OI! MIND WHERE YER GOIN', BOY!" boomed Hagrid's voice from down below at his hut.

Potter almost leapt out of his skin.

"Um, sorry, Mr Hagrid." he murmured as the gamekeeper marched up to him.

"Don't apologise to me, Mr Potter. Apologise to Mr Prince here."

Severus was back on his feet, and he and Potter exchanged looks of fury.

"S-sorry, Prince." said Potter with very little remorse.

"Fine." muttered Severus sarcastically.

Potter quickly avoided more humiliation by darting past Hagrid and towards Sirius and Remus.

"Seems a right piece of work, that one." said Hagrid with disapproval.

"He is." said Lily coldly. "He's given Severus nothing but trouble since we all met on the train."

"Why?"

"Cos I'm from a Slytherin family." said Severus.

"So was Mr Black." said Hagrid. "Potter seems alright with him."

"Don't ask me to fathom how that doofus' mind works." said Severus in exasperation.

Lily slapped his arm.

"Sorry, Hagrid." said Severus.

"No problem, Severus." said Hagrid kindly. "Your temper is understandable. Come on, you four. Come inside for some tea."

Lily and Mary couldn't refuse, and therefore, neither could Severus and Quincey.

That evening, some newspapers flew into the castle, all of which were copies of the _Daily Prophet_.

"Must be some kind of breaking news." said Mary.

Severus and Quincey looked at a copy together, as did Lily and Mary.

What Severus read was astonishing and quite unexpected: **_AMAZING BREAKTHROUGH IN LYCANTHROPY TREATMENT_**.

Severus read that the potions master, Belby had invented the Wolfsbane Potion and some six months ago had introduced it to the Ministry and St Mungo's for testing. After much testing and deliberation, under strict secrecy, the Potion was deemed a success and a breakthrough. Belby insisted on selling it, and was due to receive substantial fame.

Severus looked up from the paper towards two people. The first of which was Remus, whom was wide-eyed and in shock, then both boys looked toward the second person: Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked positively thrilled.

Severus was confused. He recalled that in his past timeline, the Wolfsbane Potion hadn't been made until five years after Hogwarts graduation, and one year after Lily's death. Dumbledore had used his position in the Wizengamot to obtain the recipe for the Potion before entrusting it to Severus to make it during Harry Potter's third year to keep the adult Remus Lupin safe and at bay.

He once again recollected that things in this universe would be different, such as his House at Hogwarts, his father's death and his reunion with his grandparents. This was possibly the first occurrence that didn't specifically benefit him, and he was nevertheless delighted about this eventuality. He needn't fear Remus getting loose now that the Potion had been made earlier than anticipated.

After the feast, Lily made to get up from her seat to see if she could quickly ask Dumbledore for an audience in his office, as she and Severus had agreed, but Remus got to Dumbledore first and when Lily approached them, she was swiftly dismissed.

Lily was very disappointed, but Severus was not surprised at all with this development that greatly affected Remus' life.

Severus comforted Lily and said that she could always try again tomorrow.

"I guess that's true." said Lily. "But still, I want to get this done as soon as possible, for Tuney."

"Petunia can wait an extra day, Lils. Don't worry." said Severus soothingly.

Lily nodded, hoping that it was only one day.

But it wasn't.

Severus was surprised at how naïve he had been in giving Lily that bit of false hope. That day, a Sunday was the night of the full moon, and Remus was likely being attended to for his first transformation in the Shrieking Shack by Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey. As was the case, Dumbledore was once again unavailable to speak with Lily.

"If you want an appointment with Professor Dumbledore, why don't you ask Professor McGonagall if she can arrange a meeting with him for you?" suggested Severus. "After all, she likely knows him and sees him more than anyone here, as she is Deputy Headmistress here."

"Good idea." said Lily. "I'll ask her in Transfiguration tomorrow."

Severus smiled as they went to bed that night. Remus was in the Shrieking Shack and out of trouble, Lily was safe in her common room and soon there would be no need to fear for her safety where he was concerned, and soon enough, eventually, she will be able to try and help her sister, and keep her promise.

James Potter, on the other hand, was most interested to learn that Remus had gone away due to his illness.

"Why wouldn't he be in the Hospital Wing?" he asked Sirius.

"He told me that his mother was ill too. Dumbledore arranged for him to visit her too, especially as he seems unable to attend class tomorrow anyway." explained Sirius. "Why does this bother you so much, James? Remus is a good guy. Very friendly."

"I just don't like that he acts as suspiciously as Prince does." said James defensively.

"Prince has done nothing wrong either." said Sirius.

"He was born into a Slytherin family. His existence is doing something wrong in that regard." snapped James.

"Are you trying to say my little brother's existence is wrong? _My_ existence is wrong?" fumed Sirius.

"N-no, that's not what I-"

But it was no good.

Sirius stomped away and up to bed.

Meanwhile, in Heaven, James and Lily Potter were surveying all the events of Severus' new life, as well as those of their own, and Harry's life back in their universe. They were pleased at Harry's life. His three children were delightful and not a little cheeky towards one another, and his marriage to Ginny was very content.

But in Severus' new universe, there were some things that left them ill at ease.

"Was I really as bad as that?" asked James after watching his counterpart inadvertently end his friendship with the alternate version of Sirius Black.

Lily wanted to say yes to an extent, but knew that would not be entirely true.

"No, you weren't." she said honestly. "You weren't as paranoid about Remus as far as I know, and you were more understanding when you found out he was a werewolf. I have a sad feeling that this James won't be so kind and accepting."

James hung his head in shame. "But I was like that to Severus."

"Yes, you were." said Lily. "It started off rather in the same prejudiced way Harry was with the Malfoy boy, but then it became more personal after you had both fallen in love with me. Though you were too vain to realize he had the same feelings towards me that you had."

"To my regret." said James.

"Yet you admit you wouldn't have relented." she said.

"Would you have preferred I did?" asked James.

"I suppose not." said Lily. "I just wish…I just wish that our love didn't hurt my best friend so much."

Lily started to cry, much to James' surprise.

"Hey, there's no need to be so upset, Lily, love." he said softly, embracing her. "Severus has moved on to have a better life, and by the looks of it, he will oust my counterpart for your counterpart's affections. And we helped him to get that second chance. You should be happy right now. Especially with Harry having such a good life as well, now."

But Lily shook her head.

"You don't understand, James." she sobbed. "I heard his thoughts. He thinks that the other Lily he's with now is not only better suited for him as a lover, as we wanted, but he now thinks she is a better friend than I ever had been! I know I wasn't as close to him after he was put in Slytherin. I know I was not as kind to him after he began cavorting with those Death Eaters, but it was all the pressure from the other Gryffindors telling me he was therefore no good, and I just wanted to not be isolated because I was a neophyte in magic, as well as my blood lineage! I just didn't want people to hate me for being friends with a Slytherin. But after I heard his memories, and realizing he now likes this new Lily as a best friend over me as well as a lover…I thought my heart would break…and it's all my own fault!"

James was stunned. He didn't realize that Severus' feelings towards Lily had diminished this much since meeting this new version. And he failed to comprehend what losing Severus as a best friend for a second time would mean to Lily. He cradled her in his arms.

"He still loves you, Lily. I am sure of it."

"How can you be?" sniffled Lily sadly.

"Because he owes his second chance to you."

"No? He owes it to the Higher Ones."

"Wow, you really don't see?" asked James. "Don't you remember what the Higher Ones said? Severus avoided reincarnation for you, because you must be very special! He was able to earn the Four Options because of his love for you, for his loyalty to you. You made him the best of himself, and able to work his way out of the darkness. You may not have done so in the way he wanted, but you affected his life so meaningfully, that he was given this new lease of life, and he can finally have the love of his life…because you were worth all he went through to earn it."

Lily considered these words for a moment, then through her tears, she chuckled through her sobs.

"For someone who was such an idiot at school, you turned out to be such a wise guy afterwards." she teased.

James smiled and cuddled his wife some more.

"And at least there has been another bright side to today." he said to keep up the risen spirits.

"Remus can get Wolfsbane Potion quicker in this life?" guessed Lily.

"Yep."

"I wonder how Severus will be able to help with it. He's too young and isn't supposed to know how to brew it." wondered Lily as she wiped her eyes.

"Time will tell, I guess." said James. "I just hope my counterpart won't be a moron forever."

Lily agreed and they continued to watch over Severus and Harry's lives.

 **(So here's Chapter 14. Sorry it took a while. Been busy at university. Chapter 15 coming soon! Please review! Thanks for reading!)**


	15. Chapter 15: The Promise to Petunia

**Chapter 15: The Promise to Petunia**

In his office, Albus Dumbledore was speaking with the Heads of House and Madam Pomfrey of the recent development of the Wolfsbane Potion and the fortunate effects it would have on the life of one Remus Lupin.

"But Albus, Belby is selling the Potion as ingredients and/or in flasks that will excel the expense an outcast to society such as young Mr Lupin will ever be able to afford." said McGonagall.

"Damn selfish of Belby." said Sprout.

"If he thinks any werewolves will be able to afford that stuff he concocted at that steep a price, I fail to see the point in his making it. No werewolf can pay for it, or even half the ingredients." added Flitwick.

"Plus, no werewolf apart from Mr Lupin was allowed access to magical education." put in Madam Pomfrey in a cold tone. "That's why a bunch of them are eating out of the hand of You Know Who as we speak.! This overcharged cure that Belby and the Ministry _know_ they cannot afford will only push the werewolves further to the Dark side, because they are being deprived of something that could make their lives so much better. They're practically dangling this Potion in their faces and yanking it away when they want it."

"Horace, what is your input on this matter?" asked Dumbledore.

Slughorn had a prideful looking smile on his face, but he stammered out of his stupor on Dumbledore's prompt.

"Oh, um, dreadful decision, Albus. Mind you, Belby was a talented Potioneer even when I taught him here. To put his name on it and to want some credit is not exactly unjustifiable, surely?"

"It's all very well to sell it at a reasonable price, Horace." said McGonagall contemptuously. "But this price the Ministry have approved is too much, ridiculously over the top."

Slughorn only nodded half-heartedly.

The other three Heads of House lifted their heads in exasperation at Slughorn's lack of concern on the matter.

"Is there a way you can get this potion through your own sources at the Ministry, Albus?" asked Sprout. "You are very well-respected there and have a high-standing rank in the Wizengamot."

"That thought has already crossed my mind." said Dumbledore gently. "However, I fear I cannot possibly ask the Ministry for this Potion and its recipe without arousing suspicion for my usage of it."

"Understandable." sighed Flitwick.

"However, there is someone her whom could ask Damocles Belby for the Potion and its uses quite innocently enough, and with a little flattery, be conceded quite swiftly…isn't that so, Horace?"

Slughorn looked up again.

"You wish me to write to Mr Belby?" he asked in surprise. Dumbledore hardly ever showed appeal to his Slug Club and his 'claiming' of talented students.

"Indeed." smiled Dumbledore. "If you were to simply ask Belby, 'strictly for the sake of research and study', if he could give you the Potion and its recipe, and throw in some well-deserved praise, I see nothing stopping Belby from agreeing and handing it over to you."

"Oh, marvellous idea, Albus." said Slughorn, almost bouncing his belly about in his anticipated excitement.

"However, you are to hand the formula to me directly and promptly once you receive it." said Dumbledore sternly, but with the same polite smile on his face.

Slughorn agreed sheepishly. "Oh, but of course, Headmaster."

Soon enough, the party was dismissed, and Dumbledore sat at his desk, thinking of not just Remus Lupin, but of the girl, Lily Evans. She had tried twice to speak with him this weekend and pondered as to her motives. As he had his attention taken by the ailing Lupin, he hadn't a moment to use Legilimency on the girl and so still did not know what reason she had to approach him. He was keen to find out, and maybe learn more of her friend, Mr Prince, but at a later date. Right now, the issue of Remus Lupin and the Wolfsbane Potion came first.

The days and even weeks passed. Lily and Severus' lessons became more difficult and the homework began to build up. They were both next to useless in flying lessons, and both friends agreed that the world of Quidditch was not their place to explore.

October came, and as that month rolled in, so did the frail paleness of Remus once more. Lily, Mary and Quincey Arnolds all believed him to have recovered from his illness for the time being, but Severus knew full well that the boy was due to transform again in a matter of three to four days.

Severus and Lily often discussed his illness with the others, and at every turn, Severus tried to divert the suspicion whenever the necessity expressed itself to him.

Lily's main concerns soon changed however, because now a whole month had gone by, and the year did not seem to be toning down the amount of work, making her chances to press matters further with Dumbledore were becoming less frequent. At every chance, Dumbledore dismissed her, and she always noticed that he seemed to be occupied mentally. Lily did heed Severus' advice in asking Professor McGonagall for help in arranging a meeting with the Headmaster, but the Deputy Headmistress strictly replied, "Professor Dumbledore is currently occupied with some more serious business at present. If you wish to see him still when that business is dealt with, I will bring up your desire to see him, but only once that matter is sorted."

Lily was growing more and more upset with Dumbledore. He had rejected Petunia already, and it seemed like he was going out of his way to prolong her suffering.

Petunia herself had written to Lily via Gabriel. It amazed Lily that Petunia had done so. The letter mainly consisted of asking after Lily, with several hints that involved the repetitive name of 'Dumbledore'. This made Lily feel very inadequate and worried that Petunia would begin to feel that Lily isn't really trying to help her have magic in her life at all, and that she was easily forgetting about her in her new atmosphere, hence why Lily replied to the letter straight away.

Severus wanted to put Lily out of her misery by assuring her that Dumbledore's motives for rejecting her wishes to speak with him were true and justified. But respecting Remus' privacy and maintaining a friendship to potentially prevent the calamitous Marauders group from coming to be was more important, to his mind at least.

Another matter that Severus found important was how to deal with Voldemort.

He knew that something about his snake, Nagini, and Harry Potter's soul being contaminated by a piece of Voldemort's played a large part in the matter. But Nagini did not exist yet, and if Severus could work out what Voldemort's secret to being defeated was, she would never come to be a part of his grand design either.

Severus knew that if he was to find anything at all on Voldemort's dark magic involving souls, the best place to look for an answer would be in the Restricted Section of the library, and failing that, in Knockturn Alley. But Severus had no desire to go to the latter area as it was a notorious location for those interested in the Dark Arts, and he did not wish to give Lily or his family and friends the wrong impression.

He knew his chances of getting into the Restricted Section to find a book involving heavily Dark Magic would be very slim, so he was now at a quandary.

He knew of only one person whom would allow him to fetch such a book if it existed, two if he had been in Slytherin again. But Slughorn would likely not adhere to Severus' needs as easily, especially in just the first month of his education, and prior to being asked to join his precious Slug Club. And asking Dumbledore for help, and likely having to explain his motivations was simply out of the question. He could not trust Dumbledore with his secrets again, not after what he did to him before their deaths.

So, for the time being, until a solution presented itself…Severus had nothing more to do.

Remus awoke alone and exhausted, not to mention in immense pain from his transformation and his self-inflicted harm.

He dressed in his previously discarded clothing once more, which he hid near the entrance to the house which would later be known as the Shrieking Shack, so as to prevent reducing them to tatters.

After resting in the Shack for several hours, he made his way to the entrance of the tunnel leading out onto the Hogwarts grounds. Madam Pomfrey was waiting for him, as was their arrangement. She had pressed the knot on the Whomping Willow and saw just how ragged the poor boy was, perhaps worse than he had on their first occurrence of this event of the month.

"Oh, poor boy!" she said, taking him by the shoulder in a motherly fashion, quite unlike her normal demeanour, but then, Remus was not a normal student. "Sooner we get that Potion for you, the better."

"Does it ease the pain?" asked Remus.

"I do not know, but at least you will be you at heart and mind." assured the matron softly.

Remus nodded. Anything would be better than being an out of control savage. He would always be a beast, a thing. But at least with the Wolfsbane Potion, he would no longer be a savage.

It was mid-October by now. The students were keenly looking forward to Halloween. Severus was breezing through his homework. His natural talent was winning out over his renewed naivety in magical education. Lily was still getting nowhere with meeting the Headmaster.

Nor apparently was Dumbledore himself with his endeavours. Until now.

Dumbledore was at his desk when he heard a knock on the door.

"Enter." he said welcomingly, raising his head.

McGonagall and Slughorn came through, the latter looking triumphant. "Well, it is here." he said producing a scroll bearing the ingredients.

"You have no potion with you?" asked Dumbledore.

"Alas, no." said Slughorn, looking slightly forlorn. "I couldn't get across to Damocles Belby that I merely wished to use it for experimental and educational purposes. He settled for the ingredients, as he knew with them separately, I could, um, dabble with it. He asked me to send a flask of my first attempts round. He said in the letter that he was very keen to see if his old professor had any potential feedback and advice on the Potion, once I brewed it myself. He also said not giving me the finished product itself would add a challenge to me, a cheeky means to exact revenge on making Potions so complicated for him here, I believe."

Dumbledore nodded in understanding.

"How long may I ask do you think it would take for you to brew it?"

"Oh, with the wolfsbane, also known as aconite, it can be very dangerous and complex, so to ensure I get it right and to the exact detail to Damocles' instructions, I would say a month, give or take." said Slughorn.

"So, Mr Lupin has to endure another full moon of being uncontrollable?" asked McGonagall.

"Yes, but only for his own health." replied Slughorn. "Aconite is a very poisonous plant and ingredient in a potion. If anything went wrong, it could kill the boy."

Dumbledore and McGonagall nodded in agreement, but telling Remus he had to wait another two months or so to demonstrate the Wolfsbane Potion was going to be a dubious task.

Sirius and James were barely able to face each other after their falling out the previous month. Their estrangement came as a pleasant surprise to Severus, though he felt that through his second chance, this James Potter was now the one being dealt a bad hand.

Severus could not help but think that Potter deserved it. He made his life hell on the train onwards, just like the original. Nothing to suggest he was a better version.

However, Severus never intended for his misfortunes to shift to someone else. Nobody had to go through what he had, though Potter came very close indeed.

It was Friday today, and Severus was having lunch, though Quincey was in the Hospital Wing after burning his hand trying to brew a Sneeze Release Remedy. He sat with his other Ravenclaw friends, Nora Waynefleet and Elizabeth Burns from second year. Just then, Lily rushed over from what seemed to be the teachers' table. She looked positively thrilled.

"He has accepted. He and McGonagall will see me tonight in his office!" she squeaked, bouncing with excitement.

Severus smiled too, and quickly glanced in Remus' direction. He looked both excited, yet disappointed at the same time. Severus wasn't sure what that combination meant, but he didn't dwell on it. He turned to Lily swiftly.

"Don't count your gnomes though, Lily." he said sensibly. "Just because they have accepted the meeting, at last, it doesn't guarantee that they will accept the idea of helping Petunia. She is pure Muggle. Nobody has trained one to perform Herbology, Potions and Care of Magical Creatures before. Nobody has trained a Muggle to perform magic, ever."

"I know, Sev." replied Lily, her cheerful face starting to recede. "But I have to try. It's my best shot and my only chance to make Tuney happy again."

Severus understood.

"I suppose I won't be able to join you." he said.

"No. They just said I could go up to the office." confirmed Lily worriedly. "I hope they say yes, or I will be upset and alone with that knowledge all night."

"I'll wait for you at the bottom of the office entrance." suggested Severus.

"But curfew might begin by the time I finish." protested Lily.

"Eh, so I get a detention and lose a few points. I want to be there for my best friend should the worse happen." Severus replied.

Lily smiled and cuddled her best friend. She could always count on him.

But the same could not be said for Potter. He was eyeing them suspiciously. He noticed the rise and fall and rise again of Lily's smile, and wondered if Severus was jinxing her after confessing to her that he was indeed a Voldemort supporter. At this point, Remus was glad Potter wasn't focusing his attentions on him, and Sirius was glad Severus and Lily were unintentionally providing him with some peace and quiet, away from James' constant attempts to apologise for indicating that he and Regulus were Death Eater wannabes and should never have been born as a result. He didn't deny that his brother was more susceptible to his parents' theology than he was, but at the end of the day, he still cared for his brother, and hoped that he too would avoid being put in Slytherin.

That evening, Lily was escorted by McGonagall to Dumbledore's office, whilst Severus followed from behind, in a silent and distant way to avoid being caught by the cat-like reflexed McGonagall.

Severus watched as the two of them went up the gargoyle staircase which opened the entrance upon McGonagall's pronunciation of: "Jelly Beans."

Lily was astonished at the circular staircase, and soon enough found that it led to an oaken door, which McGonagall knocked upon stiffly.

"Enter." came the kindly voice of Professor Dumbledore.

McGonagall escorted Lily into the room and whispered, "Not every day I bring a student here who isn't in trouble for breaking the rules. In fact, it's the first time in many years I have brought a student here by his or her own request."

Dumbledore sat in his chair and turned to smile at Lily.

"Thank you, Minerva." he said. "Perhaps you would like to stay and hear what Miss Evans here would like to say?"

McGonagall agreed, piqued with curiosity at what brought on Lily's ongoing desire to visit the Headmaster. She took a seat beside Lily, before Dumbledore's desk.

A flap of feathers showed to Lily that Dumbledore was not alone. A beautiful bird of burning red feathers and at the prime of its life was perched on a stand beside the desk, preening its feathers and almost winking at Lily in a friendly manner.

"You're interested in my phoenix friend, Fawkes, I see." smiled Dumbledore.

"Phoenix?" gasped Lily. She had learnt from Severus that these birds were as rare a find as unicorns were.

"Yes. Fawkes and I have had a relationship based on trust in the other's life for more than fifty years now." said Dumbledore in a reminiscent voice.

Before Lily could pry more into this magnificent creature's history, McGonagall coughed suggestively.

"Perhaps we had better return to the matter at hand." she said.

"Of course." replied Dumbledore. "Now, Miss Evans, what would you like to see me about?"

He had a feeling he already knew. He had used Legilimency on her a couple of times after she kept asking him for this meeting, and he could primarily see her sister was on her mind at the time. He hoped that she wasn't here to ask him to admit her into Hogwarts again, as this was beyond any possibility or hope.

"I'm um, here, because, um…"

"Do get on with it, please, Miss Evans." piped up McGonagall impatiently.

"Sorry, I'm just…scared." said Lily.

"Why?" said McGonagall suspiciously. "Are the Slytherin students upsetting you?"

This was true enough, as they had openly scoffed at her for not having a magical family's name and they deducted that she must be Half-blood, or worse still, a Muggle-born, or to them, a Mudblood. But this was not what was troubling her, as she had expected such abuse from Severus' warnings, and she took them in her stride.

"No, it's um, to do with my elder sister." explained Lily.

"Ah." sighed Dumbledore.

"The girl you went to visit to deny entry to Hogwarts, Albus?" asked McGonagall with interest.

"It is." affirmed Dumbledore.

"Well, Miss Evans, if this meeting is to try and get a second opinion and a new hope for your sister, I am sure Professor Dumbledore has explained most kindly to her and to you, that it is simply not possible." said McGonagall sternly.

"It's not exactly for that." said Lily timidly. "It's just that, since you told her she couldn't come to Hogwarts…she went off the rails. She refused to learn anything at her secondary school, she hated not being at Hogwarts when she turned eleven, and she even began to neglect everything connected to the Muggle world."

"I am sorry to hear that my rejection of your sister learning here had such a negative impact." said Dumbledore softly.

"But then…Sev, my friend in Ravenclaw…he came up with an idea one day, that gave Tuney and I a new hope."

"And that was to follow the Headmaster around and bother him until he said yes?" said McGonagall coldly. "Most immature plot and quite an underdeveloped one for a Ravenclaw to come up with. Come, Miss Evans, this has been a waste of time."

"NO! That's not the idea, please wait!" implored Lily.

"Let her speak, Minerva." said Dumbledore sternly. "We have seen Miss Evans and Mr Prince around here several times and both show promise. If there's one thing I have observed, they are not immature fools."

McGonagall looked slightly abashed and sat down once more and allowed Lily to continue her story.

"Well, Sev said to me one day, that perhaps although Tuney could never come here to learn classes such as Defence Against the Dark Arts and spells that generally mastered in wand usage, she could perhaps…maybe…with your consent, sir, a-a-and with professional tuition from a skilled witch or w-wizard…she could learn more basic things, such as Potions, Herbology, and maybe even Care of Magical Creatures…and surely, even History of Magic? We had the idea if that were to be the case, Tuney could even learn to be a Herbologist. She loves gardening, y-you see."

When she finished, she hung her head low. She couldn't bear the thought of looking at Dumbledore, whom most likely have looked at her with a kind smile but with despondent and rejecting eyes underneath.

McGonagall, on the other hand, was looking at Dumbledore. She had never heard of such an idea before. There had been many Muggle-born witches and wizards who had entered Hogwarts and had siblings, but most of those siblings either had no interest in learning magic as it scared them too much, or they had magic too and followed their sibling later. Petunia was the exception in the former. She was jealous and desperate to be like her sister, even to this minor extent.

Dumbledore was looking from Lily to McGonagall. He too had never come across such a circumstance. When he rejected Petunia in person on that day, he thought she would accept things and move on with her Muggle life and that would have been an end to the matter. But the poor girl was still fixated on learning any form of magic. The Wizarding World and its many secrets and possibilities had seduced her, and she did not wish to let go.

He considered hers and Severus' idea to let her study subjects that did not necessarily need spell work.

Potions was a dangerous subject for anyone to study, most especially for a Muggle, and he knew with certainty that if he did grant it all to Petunia, she would never be able to brew anything beyond second year education, and even with those other potions open to her, she would need supervision at all times, possibly even after learning everything about them. Care of Magical Creatures would be dangerous, but even fully trained wizards and witches often had a partner to join them on their professions of exploring such creatures. History of Magic would be next to no problem, as it is generally studying, and to a Muggle like Petunia, the subject could well be fascinating and to an extent, fun. Herbology would most certainly need supervision, due to the dangers of plants such as Mandrakes. But so did most students throughout their years at Hogwarts, Lily amongst them.

Dumbledore pondered for a while longer. After a full quarter of an hour, Lily becoming more stressful, fidgety and upset by the second, he looked up and gave McGonagall a conceding expression.

"Miss Evans, I must say that I have never encountered such a proposition before, no matter how many Muggle-borns there have been with siblings with no magical qualities." he said, pausing impressively. "The idea of a Muggle learning the subjects you have suggested is intriguing to me. And I believe that one day, I would like to aid you in this mission of yours to provide some magic in your sister's life."

Lily looked up in surprise, but did not jump to a hasty conclusion. She had to be sure.

"S-s-so, you'll do it, sir?" she asked hesitantly.

Dumbledore smiled, but had a stern look.

"Only when you have graduated Hogwarts and after she has completed her Muggle based studies, once she graduates what I believe they call, collage and universallies." he said.

Lily nearly corrected him, but daren't do so. Dumbledore was willing to help Petunia achieve her dreams, albeit at a later time in her life, but Severus believed this would be the case anyway and her sister was prepared to wait, so long as she at least had a guarantee. And now Lily could finally provide her with one.

"I understand that, sir." she said excitedly. "Thank you, Professor!" She rushed over and hugged him. Dumbledore chuckled and patted her back.

McGonagall looked very hesitant to acquiesce. She was certain teaching a Muggle even the most basic forms of magic would be exceedingly difficult and time-consuming. But as Dumbledore had granted the request to occur in the future, she had little say in the matter, and went along with it.

"Now that that's settled, time for bed, Miss Evans." smiled Dumbledore.

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore."

"I trust you can escort yourself back, Miss Evans?" asked McGonagall. "I need a word with the Headmaster."

"Yes, I'll be fine, Professor." smiled Lily and she left the office eagerly.

Severus saw her as she came down the staircase and was very surprised to see she was grinning with anticipation.

"He said yes!" she cried, hugging him. "Dumbledore will help teach Petunia magic once she and we have graduated from our educations!"

"That's wonderful!" said Severus happily.

Nothing made Severus happier than to see Lily so happy, and for once, he found himself grateful for Dumbledore's involvement in their matters for the first time in eleven years.

Severus and Lily went up to bed, and Lily was only too keen to rise early the next morning to write the news to her awaiting sister.

 **(Chapter 15 is up, and so will 16 in a week or so! Please read and review! Thank you!)**


	16. Chapter 16: The Shrieking Shack's Secret

**Chapter 16: The Discovery at the Shrieking Shack**

Lily soon received a reply from Petunia by Halloween. She was thrilled at the news that Dumbledore changed his tune and agreed to help Petunia learn some magic once they all reached adulthood. Lily and Severus celebrated the news and Petunia's enthusiastic letter at the Halloween feast, and with Quincey's help, using a plastic container he brought with him from his Muggle home, sent Petunia and their parents some scrumptious pumpkin cake and pie.

As November came in, nearly all the leaves were gone from the trees and the weather grew much colder. Rose and Trevor wrote to Lily saying Petunia's acceptance had made her all the more determined to strive through her education with as much effort as possible. Lily was very happy.

Remus, on the other hand, was far from happy. Of course, Lily didn't know why, but Severus anonymously did. Remus was getting very ill again, and was due to transform in the Shrieking Shack once again on the second of the month. Lessons were fortunately not meant to start again until the 6th which left Remus enough time to recover and not miss any classes, and therefore be less noticed to go missing.

James Potter and Peter Pettigrew remained the outcasts with the former's continuous obsession to expose Severus as a Voldemort supporter, as well as to reveal Remus' secret behind his illness and frequent disappearances from lessons.

Sirius was becoming more and more friendly with Remus, and seemed to have estranged from Potter completely. However, he was still reluctant to fully join with Severus' social group. Deep down, he missed Potter. He was his first friend upon leaving the House of Black to start his education. But he was too stubborn to let Potter's outburst go, at least for the time being. Severus did not complain. He still felt awkward around Sirius and couldn't see him as being a good friend in the foreseeable future.

On the second of November itself, it was a Thursday, but after the celebrations of Halloween, the lessons were cancelled that week for a treat, and a ruse by Dumbledore to divert suspicion from Remus' absences. Lily was visibly disappointed at this, because like Petunia, she wanted to work hard and be as successful as possible.

Nevertheless, she and Severus had more time together as a result. They both finished their homework quickly to have plenty of free time together, along with Mary, Quincey and Remus, until he decided to go home because of his illness.

"I hope he gets well soon. This is getting silly." said Mary.

"He can't help it." defended Lily.

"Seems odd he keeps getting ill like this though." said Marlene McKinnon.

"What _are_ you looking at, Marlene?" asked her best friend, Rebecca Castle.

Marlene blushed and Lily followed her gaze, seeing Sirius. He was looking toward where Remus just left through the portrait hole.

"You still think he's cute then?" teased Mary.

"Uh, yeeeah!" said Marlene in an obvious way.

Lily, Mary and Rebecca chuckled and proceeded to tease Marlene, dismissing Remus' illness from their minds for that day.

Sirius wasn't dismissing it though. He was worried for his friend and he was starting to get suspicious. He noticed that for the third month in a row, Remus became mysteriously ill, and his friend was still cagey in divulging what this unknown disease was, or indeed what the symptoms were, aside from looking so pale and weak. He wanted to know more, and so when Remus left and the other Gryffindors seemed focused on each other in casual and care-free conversation, Sirius slipped away and through the portrait hole.

As Sirius exited and left down the staircase, despite the Fat Lady's protestations, he suddenly felt something pull on his arm. He looked round, drawing his wand, but there was seemingly nothing there. Nevertheless, he felt something gripping his arm, then he heard a voice right next to him.

"Keep still, Sirius. McGonagall is with Lupin just below us!" the voice hissed.

Sirius knew that voice.

"James?!"

James' head swiftly made itself visible. He was wearing his family's Invisibility Cloak.

"Get under here!" hissed James and he pulled Sirius with him under the Cloak.

"What are you doing here?" asked Sirius in a whisper. "And where the hell did you get this?" He fondled the Cloak with fascination.

"It's my father's. He handed it down to me when I first came here." explained James quietly. "I'm here so I can find out what Lupin is up to."

"You're spying on him?" asked Sirius crossly.

"Well, aren't you?" asked James. He had Sirius there.

"I'm worried about him. You're going out of your way to make him look like he's up to no good!" he fumed.

"He clearly is." snapped James. "He's sneaking off when he's supposed to be ill."

"But didn't you just say that he was with McGonagall?" retorted Sirius. "She clearly is authorising him and allowing him to do this. For all we know, she's escorting him to the station to go back home. Now do you want to see what they're doing or not?"

For the first time since their fall out, the two of them agreed and slipped down the staircases carefully, in pursuit of the mysterious McGonagall and Remus as they made their way to the ground floor. There were still some students eating in the Great Hall, and they went past quickly, and to James and Sirius' notice, they were acting in a way that distinctly indicated they did not want to be seen.

"Suspicious much?" asked Potter.

Sirius had to admit this did look odd and was not steering things in Remus' favour, despite McGonagall being his apparent accomplice.

What the two of them didn't realize was that as Potter muttered those two words, they were overheard by a student exiting the Hall, prepared to head back to the Ravenclaw common room.

Severus paled. He had noticed it was full moon shortly, and he saw Remus being taken out of the castle by McGonagall. Then he heard the invisible speaker…and that could only mean one thing: that someone in the Entrance Hall was hiding under an Invisibility Cloak. James Potter, and as he was asking a rhetorical question to someone, most likely Peter Pettigrew.

He heard their quiet but noticeable footsteps following Remus and McGonagall into the grounds.

"Damn." he whispered hoarsely.

This hadn't happened in the previous universe. If anything, a similar incident occurred to him, much to his horror and humiliation. He knew that McGonagall would surely miss them, but then he would unless he sees them remove the Cloak at the entrance.

"Knowing Potter, he probably will before entering the Shack once McGonagall heads back inside."

On that note, Severus looked round and ensured that nobody saw him. He rushed into the grounds and took cover in the dark cover of the trees on the outskirts of the Forest. He couldn't see Potter, of course, but he saw McGonagall poking the root and the Whomping Willow stopped writhing. Then he saw Remus disappear into the hollow, and McGonagall paused before heading back to the castle.

Severus considered stopping her to warn her of the disaster that was about to take place, especially as the full moon was about to fully arise. But he knew that he could not stop her as Potter might not remove the Cloak, and as he was not supposed to know such a cloak was in Hogwarts, he would find it very difficult to prove his story to her. So, he knew that he had to do this alone, and he hated having to do so. One of the last things he wanted to do was go anywhere near Remus in his werewolf form, especially whilst not under the influence of the Wolfsbane Potion.

Severus waited until McGonagall disappeared into the castle. Then he saw what he expected to see, or to an extent anyway.

Potter removed the Cloak, and to Severus' surprise, it wasn't Pettigrew accompanying him, but Sirius. The Cloak was left outside the hollow entrance, rather like how Harry Potter did when trying to save his friend, Ron, which gave Severus an advantage in the ensuing confrontation with the alternate versions of Sirius and Remus.

Severus rushed over but the Willow began to lash again and a branch winded him. Luckily, he landed by the root and pressed it hard. The Willow became still once more and he ignored the pain he was in, grabbed the Cloak and dived into the hollow too. He ran as fast as he could, but the tunnel was getting narrower.

He daren't yell out a warning, just in case Remus had already transformed. But as he came round the corner in the twisted tunnel, he saw Potter and Sirius ahead. By now, they were at the point where the tunnel ended and the Shack became close to view.

Severus rushed to them and seized Sirius' arm.

"Prince!" gasped Sirius.

"What the hell are you doing here?" snapped Potter.

"Saving you two. We've got to get out of here, and for the love of Merlin: Keep. Your. Voices. Down!" replied Severus in a harsh whisper.

His authoritative tone seemed to sway Sirius into believing him, but Potter remained unconvinced.

"And what are we supposed to be running from? We Gryffindors are fearless!" he said stubbornly.

Severus didn't want to reveal Remus' secret, but he knew that if he was to save Potter from being either infected or killed, he had little say in the matter.

"I don't think being a brave Gryffindor will save an eleven-year-old first year student from being savaged by a werewolf, Potter!" he sneered quietly.

Potter's smug face dropped swiftly.

"A what?!"

"You heard him, James. Come on!" murmured Sirius.

Then they heard a terrible noise ahead. Remus was beginning to transform.

"Oh no." mumbled Severus. Quick!"

He wrapped the Cloak around the three of them, and Potter looked and saw the grotesque transformation from boy to wolf in the distance.

Severus and Sirius practically dragged the horror-struck Potter through the tunnel with all haste. The Cloak may have blinded them from the werewolf, but it could still smell them. They had to get out of the tunnel before it could scent them and follow them out into the grounds.

Fortunately, upon transformation, the werewolf was adjusting to its situation and was whining weakly, then it howled at the moon outside from without the closed-up house. It didn't pick up a scent, and by the time it was heard roaring and clawing up furniture, the three boys were far ahead and out of its heightened range of smell.

Severus and Sirius clambered out of the hollow, but in his haste, Potter slipped and fell. Removing the Cloak, Severus gripped him harshly by the scruff of his neck and with Sirius' help pulled him out of the entrance and they fled to the outskirts of the Forest.

Panting for breath, and close to hyperventilating upon the realization of how close they all came to certain doom, the boys collapsed against the trees.

"Prince!" panted Sirius harshly. "You saved our lives!"

Severus looked to them. Sirius was in awe, and Potter was looking at him in a shocked but quizzical way.

"Yes. I suppose so." replied Severus, as he regained his breath.

Potter still looked bewildered. "W...why?"

"Because…I'm not a…Slytherin nor…a Death Eater."

Potter was now looking at Severus as though he had just seen him for the first time, at long last.

"We have to get back to the castle." said Sirius.

"That yer do!" boomed a voice.

It was Hagrid. He was wielding a cross-bow looking pale beneath his beard. He too was panting in shock. It was clear for all three of them to see, that he had seen everything.

"Went to see a friend, and I come out the Forest to find you three heading into the Whomping Willow. And it was full moon an' all!" he said crossly. "I rushed to get me crossbow, fat lot of good it'd do me if the werewolf caught you whilst still inside the Shack. I can't fit in that hollow entrance. By the time I came back out, I saw you three running back here. What the devil were you thinking of? If you hadn't escaped, you realize that I would have had to risk killing young Mr Lupin?"

The three boys were silent. Sirius and Potter were too stunned at their actions to talk. Sirius had just discovered that his friend was a werewolf, and Potter was full of fear and remorse.

Severus knew what was coming next. He experienced it before, only this time, the tables were turned.

Hagrid confirmed his theory.

"To the castle. Stick with me." he said severely. "We're gonna pay a visit to Professor Dumbledore."

Only on the mention of his name did Severus realized what situation he had now placed himself in. He could be discovered for who and what he truly was by Dumbledore whilst under his interrogation. He didn't know if his Occlumency was any better than it used to be in his past life, but due to his lack of memory in basic magic, he doubted it. He would simply have to avoid eye contact with the Headmaster at all costs.

Hagrid escorted him, Sirius and James up to the castle and up to the second floor to the gargoyle entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"Hagrid?" McGonagall ran up, surprised to see the gamekeeper escorting three students to Dumbledore's office, two of which were her Gryffindors.

"Professor McGonagall." greeted Hagrid grimly. "I caught these three students entering and leaving the Whomping Willow passage."

McGonagall's face lost all colour. In a stiff and controlled voice, she said, "I'll take them from here, Hagrid. Could you go and get Professor Flitwick for me, please?"

Hagrid obeyed and went to find Flitwick.

Without a word to Severus, Sirius or James, McGonagall spoke out: "Gobstopper."

The boys were led onto the spiral staircase first, followed by McGonagall, and with a shaking hand, she wrapped on the door.

"Enter."

McGonagall led the boys into the office. Sirius and James had never been here before and looked in awe at the many objects dedicated against the Dark Arts, as well as the many portraits of past Heads of Hogwarts and the beauteous Fawkes perched on his stand beside Dumbledore in his desk.

"Minerva, to what do I owe the pleasure of yourself and these three students?"

"This had best wait until Filius arrives, Albus." said McGonagall, though she had to slink into a chair. "The disgrace, the shock of it."

Dumbledore looked at the boys, but all three had their heads hung low. Two of them were bowing their heads in shame, the other was avoiding the Headmaster's gaze purposefully.

Professor Flitwick soon entered and looked at the assembled party. Hagrid followed behind, knowing he was likely to play witness.

"Now, perhaps you can explain to us all what is the matter, Minerva?" said Dumbledore patiently.

"Albus, all I can say is that I came across Hagrid with these…foolish boys." said McGonagall in a hoarse tone. "He says that he had seen them enter and then leave the passage leading to _the_ house."

Dumbledore's kindly twinkle vanished altogether. He could scarcely believe that three first years would accomplish this foolish task. He looked to Hagrid.

"Your side, Hagrid?"

Hagrid said his end of the story, much like he had done to Severus, James and Sirius earlier. He then went on to assure Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick that Remus did not escape onto the grounds in pursuit.

"Now, perhaps you three wish to explain yourselves." said Dumbledore sternly.

Sirius looked to James, and the latter spoke.

"I was curious of why Remus Lupin kept disappearing each month so far in term. I saw him in the corridors with Professor McGonagall…then Sirius saw me, and we decided to follow them together."

"I followed Remus when he came out of the common room." said Sirius sheepishly. "I was worried about him."

"Hold on." said a cold voice. It was the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black. "Are you a Black?"

"Yes?" replied Sirius.

"You're living in my house. I recognise you…what are you doing in that Gryffindor uniform? All Blacks have been in Slytherin!"

"Not me." said Sirius coldly.

Phineas Nigellus looked equally mutinous.

"Enough, Phineas." said Dumbledore impatiently. "Continue."

"Then we saw Professor McGonagall and Remus go toward that tree that attacks people, it stopped when one of them pressed on a knot in the root. We saw Remus go into the hollow and Professor McGonagall went back inside. By now, we were too curious, and we went into the passage." said James in an equally guilty voice of his own.

"And you, Mr Prince?" asked Professor Flitwick in a strict voice.

Severus noticed that neither of his companions had mentioned the Invisibility Cloak at this point, and he decided to go along with it. After all, he thought it might have its uses later.

"I saw Potter and Black go out the door as I was leaving the Great Hall." he explained. "I followed them, wondering why they were sneaking off. As I went out ahead of them, I saw Professor McGonagall and Remus go to that tree, a Whomping Willow, I think it is. I panicked, because I realized what they were heading into."

"Hold on, how did you know Mr Lupin was a werewolf?" asked McGonagall in a panicked voice. "Surely the silly boy didn't tell you?"

Severus knew this awkward question would arise, and now all eyes were on him. He hated the look of suspicion on Dumbledore's and Potter's faces.

"No, he didn't tell me. But when he disappeared for the second-time last month, I noticed the moon was full at around that time. I had my suspicions and checked the lunar chart in the library. I realized that if Remus disappeared with illness again on the second of November, I would be correct in my guess that he was a werewolf."

All eyes were on him, and he daren't look up.

"Carry on, Mr Prince." said Dumbledore.

"I chased them down to the Willow, but Professor McGonagall was already gone, and I was too afraid to go back and warn her. I was hit by the Willow, but pressed the knot and went in after them. I grabbed them and told them to get out quickly, and then we heard Remus transform and we ran before the werewolf fully recovered from the change…it didn't see or smell us. We got out just in time."

"I saw him." mumbled James, tears beginning to slide down his cheeks. "He was in so much pain…I almost wanted to…"

"Yes, Mr Potter?" asked McGonagall.

"I almost wanted to be there by his side…to help him through it."

Everyone looked at James. He felt extremely remorseful for his suspicions and his actions. His actions nearly got him, his best friend and his rival killed. But his rival saved them, but nothing could be done for the poor boy he tried to suggest was a bad person, when in fact, he was in silent suffering for a disease he could not control.

Severus was very surprised. He had scarcely seen James Potter express such an emotion, except for his original version whom was dead in Heaven and more the wiser. He realized now why Remus and Sirius considered him such a good friend in his past lifetime. He now saw clearly that despite Remus' fears that if he stood up to his friends, they would betray him in turn and reveal his secret, he should never have worried.

"So, you had rescued these two from running into the werewolf and got them out safely." said Dumbledore quietly.

"I hope you realized how fortunate the three of you are." said McGonagall shakily. "Not many first-year students would cross the path of a werewolf and live to tell the tale, not to mention unscathed. Mr Potter, Mr Black. I will be taking ten points from each of you."

"As honourable as your actions were, Mr Prince, I cannot encourage such behaviour in future." said Flitwick. "I will take…five points from you, not ten. Consider that a reward of sorts for your heroism. You should have come to a teacher, I admit, but perhaps it was lucky that you didn't. From the sounds of it, the three of you only escaped narrowly."

The three boys nodded.

"Mr Potter, Mr Black. You shall each receive detention with Professor Slughorn in his dungeons, Monday evening." said Dumbledore. "No detention for Mr Prince. But I need to ask the three of you…not to tell anyone about Mr Lupin's condition. If anyone were to find out, he could be expelled or worse."

All three nodded. They now had a mutual common factor to maintain: Remus Lupin must not be exposed as a werewolf. He was their friend. Even James wanted to make amends with Remus.

"To your respective dormitories, immediately." said Dumbledore.

"In fact, we shall escort you." said McGonagall coldly.

Flitwick followed.

As Flitwick and Severus reached their floor heading to the common room, James paused before following Sirius and McGonagall.

"Prince."

Severus turned to James. He looked as cold to him as ever, but he saw that the same could not be said for James. He looked grateful, but conflicted for speech.

"…Thank you."

"Yes, thank you…Severus." added Sirius.

Severus was left staring into vacancy as the two Gryffindors re-joined McGonagall and headed up to their common room.

As Flitwick directed Severus to his common room and solved the riddle for him, Severus thought of all that had just occurred. He knew that Remus would be informed. He hoped that Remus would not be so drastically traumatised by the close shave. He was more vulnerable to emotion than he would have been the last time, as he was still only eleven. But he was going to assure his friend that he didn't think less of him in the least. Then he thought of James and Sirius' reaction to his saving them. He shook his head slowly. He still could not consider the two of them to be his friends, least of all, James.

He knew he was going to have to be civil with them, as they were going to be with him. It was going to take a lot of patience on his part.

I must sleep on it, he thought to himself, feeling exhausted.

Meanwhile, in his office, Dumbledore had just dismissed Hagrid. He was thinking quietly to himself about Severus Prince. He knew now there was more to the boy than meets the eye, and his convenient explanation of how he knew of Remus' condition only emphasised his own suspicions.

"I think I need a private word with Mr Prince." said Dumbledore to Fawkes. "And soon."

He made his way to his sleeping quarters, ignoring the protestations of Phineas Nigellus, complaining of how his distant descendant had brought shame on the name of Black.

 **(Here's Chapter 16. Chapter 17 may well be updated later this week. Here's hoping. Please read and review. Thank you.)**


	17. Chapter 17: The Friendship Cycle

**Chapter 17: The Friendship Cycle**

Remus Lupin woke the next morning exhausted, agonised and alone. He was able to get his stored away clothes on, but barely managed it without collapsing. He practically crawled his way out of the hollow and towards the waiting Madam Pomfrey, but to Remus' surprise, she wasn't alone. Professor McGonagall was there too, looking stiff and concerned. He couldn't imagine why, as nothing was much different to his first two transformations since coming to Hogwarts. He hoped nothing had gone wrong.

"Come along, Mr Lupin. Let's get you to the hospital wing." said Madam Pomfrey, in a maternal voice.

"Once we arrive, Professor Dumbledore and I would like to speak to you about something." said McGonagall, in an uncharacteristically kind voice.

Remus was now getting very nervous. Had Dumbledore decided it was foolish to allow a werewolf to stay at Hogwarts? Did something bad happen last night? He did wonder for a moment before transforming if he had heard some movement. But he dismissed it just before he changed at the rise of the full moon. Was he mistaken and there _was_ someone in the passage with him?

The very thought that he had killed or turned someone made Remus shudder and collapse again. He didn't have the mental or physical strength to rise again, so McGonagall conjured a stretcher and she and Pomfrey helped him up to the hospital wing.

Remus was dazed and filled with fear. When they arrived, and laid him on a bed, Professor Dumbledore appeared as if on cue, and sat quietly beside him in a chair.

"Good morning, Mr Lupin." said Dumbledore pleasantly.

Remus could barely bring himself to look up.

"You look mentally distressed as well as physically distressed." said Dumbledore. "What's the matter?"

"You wished to see me, sir." said Remus worriedly. "Are you going to expel me? Did I hurt someone, sir?"

Dumbledore and McGonagall exchanged sympathetic glances, then Dumbledore addressed the boy once more.

"You are not expelled, Mr Lupin." said Dumbledore assuredly. "However, there is an unfortunate matter I need to explain to you."

Remus paled. "If I have bitten someone, I _want_ to be expelled."

"Please let Professor Dumbledore speak, Mr Lupin, so you can get back to calming down and recovering from your transformation!" said Madam Pomfrey sternly.

Remus nodded meekly. He was scared to hear what Professor Dumbledore had to say.

"Last night, you and Professor McGonagall were followed onto the grounds and towards the Whomping Willow by two fellow first years. Messrs Black and Potter." explained Dumbledore.

Remus went from pale to chalk white. He never had a particular liking for James Potter, but he never wanted to kill or inflict his condition onto him. And Sirius…his new friend...he couldn't have done…

"The two boys went into the Willow after you." continued Dumbledore. "Fortunately, before you transformed, and just in time, another student, a friend of yours, Mr Prince caught up to the boys and pulled them back. Sadly, Mr Potter saw you transform at the end of the passage. Luckily, all three boys were unharmed."

Remus exhaled in relief that Severus had been able to save Sirius and James. But then another daunting thought filled his head.

"But my secret is now out." he said morosely. "James will tell the whole school. He's been trying to find out what I was hiding from everyone from nearly the off."

"Mr Hagrid took the three boys to my office the moment they escaped." said Dumbledore quickly. "I ensured that not any of them will ever utter a word to anyone about your condition. I don't doubt that their adventure will soon be school knowledge, but it will only be left to rumour of what was at the end of the passage. As for Mr Potter, he feels very remorseful for how he treated you, and he gave my sincere word that he will keep your secret safe."

Remus was surprised, but relief washed over him once more.

"Thank you, Professor." he said tiredly, but with a much happier tone.

"It's all perfectly alright now." smiled Dumbledore. "Now get some rest, Mr Lupin, and we shall sample the Wolfsbane Potion next month. It's being brewed presently by Professor Slughorn, and soon you will be able to test its effects. Hopefully, last night will be the _last_ night that you cannot control your condition."

Remus fell asleep with a smile on his face a minute after the Headmaster and McGonagall left the wing.

Dumbledore was right.

The news and the rumours of what had happened that night soon spread rapidly across Hogwarts. When Severus went down to breakfast the following morning, he was bombarded most unwelcomingly by many students wishing to hear his version of the events of the previous night.

Lily pulled him free from the crowd, and he saw that Sirius and James were getting the same treatment, though both boys were loving the attention.

Typical, thought Severus.

When Lily sat him down at the Ravenclaw, she sat opposite him on her Gryffindor bench.

"What happened, Sev?" she asked. She looked positively horrified. "You apparently put yourself in great danger trying to help save Sirius and Potter from whatever was down in that Whomping Willow tree!"

"I did." mumbled Severus modestly. He was not used to this attention and, seemingly from many students, admiration.

"What was it you saved them from?" whispered Lily timidly.

"I don't know." lied Severus. "We only heard a roar and saw a shadow, but it was too far away to make out. We just ran for it afterwards."

"But you helped Sirius and Potter. Even after everything that loser had done and said to you. You're a brilliant boy, Sev."

"Only cos you helped me to be." said Severus truthfully, though Lily was not aware of just how much Severus meant that.

Lily hugged her best friend, and Severus hugged her. He was definitely in love with her all over again. Whether Lily was or ever will be, remained to be seen, but he knew he was not going to mess things up this time.

"Hey, Severus." said a voice.

Severus looked over and saw the fourth-year student he had noticed and remembered from the Welcoming Feast walking up to him. It was Frank Longbottom.

"Hi." he replied swiftly.

"I hear you helped two of my fellow Gryffindors, one of which being the son of one of my father's friends. Good on ya, Severus." said Frank cheerfully.

Severus never expected to receive a compliment from a elder year Gryffindor, least of all, the man whose life he nearly put in the danger zone all those years ago after hearing the prophecy.

"T-t-thank you, Frank." he stuttered.

"No need to be shy around me." said Frank. "And no need to be so modest either. James and Sirius have been chatting you up all morning. Everyone is surprised at how much James has changed his tune."

Lily looked delighted. Severus looked gobsmacked. It was odd enough that the old James stood up for his favour in Heaven, but to hear this second, younger version singing his praises was almost too much to comprehend and process.

"This is perfect, Sev!" cheered Lily. "Now there's nobody bullying you."

"I wouldn't say that." said Severus coldly, nodding in the direction of the entrance to the Great Hall.

Standing in the doorway, looking at Severus with revulsion, were Lucius Malfoy and several Slytherin lackeys. Amongst them were fellow first years, Mulciber and Avery.

"Yeah, well, they're clearly Voldemort supporters." said Frank consolingly. "The Malfoys, Mulcibers and the Averys have been purists and Dark Art supporters for generations."

"Are you from a Wizarding family, Frank?" asked Lily curiously.

"Indeed I am." said Frank. "And I am glad to say my grandmother, a Pure Blood through and through raised me the right way. She takes no nonsense about these losers who think Pure Blood is the only blood there should be. She made me proud to be a Longbottom."

"Glad there are some people out there who are Pure Bloods and not supremacists." said Quincey, whom had just joined the group along with Mary.

"There are still many Pure Blood families out there who are good people." said Frank a trifle defensively. "The Potters for instance. Oh, I know James has been a bit cocky, in more ways than one, but at heart, his family are great people. And then there's the Weasley family."

After trying and failing to not blush at Frank's rude joke, Lily spoke up. "Weasley?"

"Yes." continued Frank. "I'm friends with Arthur Weasley. He left Hogwarts two years ago. He loves the idea of interacting with Muggles in fact. Wants to learn all there is to know about Muggles. And his girlfriend, Molly Prewett graduated last year. She was so happy to go out and join Arthur out there in the Wizarding World. I reckon Arthur will be proposing to her soon."

Lily, Mary and Quincey continued to listen to Frank's stories, whilst Severus looked to him with a sense of responsibility.

He knew what Frank's fate would be, should Voldemort and his Death Eaters continued to be on the rise in the next ten to eleven years. He had to destroy Voldemort before then, which was why he planned to search every book he could possibly think of in the library to find out as much as possible about how he made himself immortal using his soul.

His sense of being responsible for Frank's sanity and life was strengthened when he saw a third-year girl with short, yet styled hair run up to Frank, and kiss him gleefully.

"Hey, Frank." she said sweetly.

"Hey, Alice." replied Frank adorably. "Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Alice Moffett. She loves the Daily Prophet."

Alice slapped her boyfriend's arm.

"What did I tell you about using those mean and dumb limericks?" she snapped.

Frank blushed a little under his girlfriend's strict and authoritative tone.

"Sorry, darling." he said in a tone that, to Severus, was so obviously false in repentance.

Alice did not seem to see through it. "Aww, I can't stay cross with my Frankie!"

Frank blushed. "See you guys at the common room. Well done again, Severus." He pulled Alice away, whom waved to the group of first-years with a cheeky but friendly smile.

"That must have been utterly humiliating for Frank." laughed Quincey.

The others laughed too. But Severus' laughter was merely forced. He was feeling somewhat guilty at how friendly the future Longbottom couple were to him, and not knowing that in a different lifetime, he tortured and bullied their as good as orphaned son to the point that he himself, became that poor boy's Boggart. Another haunting thought in his mind was that they had their whole lives ahead of them, but it could be cut short, should people like Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr survive as long as they did last time.

"I will save the Longbottoms, and Lily." said Severus to himself, in a promise-like sort of way.

Lily noticed Severus looked a little put out, and summed it down to the fact that he was being talked about all over the Great Hall. There were still lots of people staring at him, James and Sirius. She decided to take her best friend to the safety of the library.

As they, Mary and Quincey made to leave the Great Hall, they were called from behind.

"Oi, Prince!"

James came up to the group, Sirius and Peter Pettigrew bringing up the rear. The latter looked reluctant to be seeing his new best friend acting like he wasn't going to make a fool out of Severus.

"Yes?" asked Severus as civilly as he could manage.

James, rather forcefully, took Severus' hand and shook it vigorously and enthusiastically.

"Again, thanks a lot, Prince." he said earnestly. "If anyone gives you trouble, I'll set them right. Just let us know."

Severus had no intention of asking James Potter to stand up for him, but under the eye of Lily, he nodded silently in thanks.

James had the tact to understand how awkward Severus felt, and turned respectfully quiet. Sirius walked up next.

"Thanks a lot, Prince." he said once again. "You did a brilliant thing helping us back there. Just awesome!" He shook Severus' hand too, but only extended his hand. Severus took it hesitantly. He still couldn't help but think of this Sirius Black as the old one whom never stopped hating him.

Pettigrew said nothing. He just nodded coldly to Severus.

"About that mix-up with Peter and Mary and all that." said James suddenly. "He told me not long after that he did make up the idea that it was you who hit his head, and not Mary. So, I'm sorry about that, and, well, about everything else, really. I don't know why you bothered to help us after I had been such a jerk to you, Prince."

"Well." said Severus, speaking up at last. "Guess I'm just not the sort of person who lets anyone, even bullies, get themselves killed."

He said it with some sarcasm, but it was so well disguised in his sincerity, that nobody noticed.

"Well, good on you." said James.

"Definitely." added Sirius.

"And sorry to you guys too. I shouldn't have been rude to you just cos you were standing up for your friend." concluded James, looking to Lily and Mary in earnest.

Lily and Mary smiled.

"Apology accepted." said Lily.

"Glad we're all on the same page now." said Mary.

After Quincey and James exchanged a handshake with apologies and a newfound respect for one another, Lily led the group up to the library, praising Severus' latest life improvement, while James, Sirius and Pettigrew went to the common room.

As they sat in the common room, James spoke up.

"Guys, I can't help but feel that didn't go too well."

"Well, Severus Prince has been a target of your prejudice for two months, mate." said Sirius.

He and James were somehow back to being friends after their shared experience of nearly getting savaged by a werewolf. Apparently, such an occurrence that could only be kept between them only brought them closer together as opposed to further distancing them.

"I suppose." said James sheepishly.

"Why do you feel bad about upsetting Prince now?" asked Pettigrew timidly, but sternly.

"Cos he saved our lives, Peter." answered James severely.

"From what?" asked Pettigrew desperately. "What could he have saved you from in the root of a tree? Did you actually see something dangerous?"

"No, but we heard it." James partially lied.

"Then maybe it was just a trick from Snivellus!" suggested Pettigrew.

"There's no spell that fakes a roar from a dangerous creature, you idiot!" snapped Sirius.

Pettigrew shrank, looking abashed.

"Trust me, Peter. There _was_ something down there, and if it wasn't for Severus Prince, we'd have been monster meat!" said James in a tone of finality.

Pettigrew didn't dare argue any further. He felt less liked and cared for since James' sudden change in demeanour and he feared losing his only decent friend in the school. He feared everything and everyone. How he became a Gryffindor was beyond him.

Not long after that minor fallout, Pettigrew slipped away to read up on some Transfiguration notes, as he didn't believe James would help him tonight. This was the moment for James and Sirius to speak in private.

"So, what do we do when Remus comes back?" asked Sirius.

"I don't know, but even if he knows that we know his secret, will he forgive us for intruding on him? Will he hate us for spying on him in the first place?" pondered James.

"I say we approach him when he returns from the hospital wing, and we explain to him that we accept his lycanthropy and will keep it a secret." said Sirius.

"I agree." replied James presently.

So, a few days later, Remus turned up to class, but avoided James and Sirius at every turn. They knew now for certain that Dumbledore had informed him of the events of that night, and he was possibly angered or fearful of them.

Lily couldn't understand Remus' sudden distance, particularly around Severus.

"Do you think his mum has died or something?" she whispered to Severus during Charms.

"I don't know." replied Severus, in truth knowing full well what the issue was.

After lessons ended, Remus went off to the library to seemingly study, but was really avoiding the common room. But he didn't bank on being followed by James, Sirius and Severus.

Severus held back when he saw James and Sirius approach Remus first.

"Hey, Remus." said Sirius quietly.

Remus paled more than usual.

Surprisingly, James had the tact and sense to look around to see if anyone was likely to listen in on them. He saw Severus standing around as if waiting his turn. James gestured Severus over to join them, which he did, albeit reluctantly.

Remus felt like the Germans did when the Big Three forced them into signing the Treaty of Versailles. He didn't want to discuss his condition with them, least of all James, even if he was claiming to feel repentant.

"Remus." said James. "I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time. If I had known what you were ill with, I'd never have abused you and made those accusations against you."

Severus was surprised at how remorseful James sounded and could find no smidgen of falseness behind it.

"I'm sorry I went along with James and spied on you." added Sirius. "It was silly of me and I am sorry we invaded your privacy, putting us all at risk."

"And we all vow never to reveal your secret to anybody." said Severus assuredly. "If you want, you can talk to us about it…someday."

Remus finally looked up at them after a discomforting silence.

"Thank you." he said simply.

James and Sirius could tell from that response that it would take some time yet for Remus to truly forgive them for their intrusion and in Sirius' case, betrayal of trust. He didn't feel particularly mad towards Severus. It amazed him that Severus worked out his secret so quickly, and if it wasn't for him, Remus may have killed or bitten his fellow Gryffindors, but he also couldn't face his friend. He feared that when Severus looked at him now, it would be with fear in his eyes, or at least in a different and unpleasant gleam.

Remus left the three behind.

"We tried." said James morosely.

"I say we just give him time." replied Sirius quietly.

The two Gryffindors nodded kindly to Severus before heading back to the common room.

As Severus made his way back to the Ravenclaw common room, looking forward to spending another happy day with Lily, he pondered how things were going for him when it came to friendship in his new life. He had Lily back, as a best friend and maybe one day, much more. But he also made some new friends he never imagined he would have. He befriended Petunia, whose alternate self had loathed Severus from the off. He also befriended Remus Lupin and Mary McDonald even though they were in Gryffindor and played roles in making his life with Lily and James Potter unbearable, and only today, he made another pair of new friends in Frank Longbottom and Alice Moffett. He knew that he was reluctant at first to make new friends, especially in the cases of Petunia and Remus. But now, he knew he must keep their friendships, not just because he had to, but because he now wanted to. He wasn't so sure about becoming friends with James and Sirius yet. The idea of such a thing and forgiving their alternate counterparts was still too painful and impossibly complex for him to consider, but for now, he knew he had friends, and he decided that somehow, he would save the Longbottoms and do everything he could to help Remus.

 **(Here's Chapter 17 at last. Sorry it took this long. My laptop's hard drive failed and I lost most of my files. So here it is, completed, and I plan to update Chapter 18 on Christmas Day, as a present to all those who have loyally followed my story and its prologue/prequel, The Four Options! Thank you for reading, and I hope you all continue to do so!)**


	18. Chapter 18: Christmas at Prince Manor

**Chapter 18: The Christmas at Prince Manor**

 **(Apologies for not updating on Christmas Day. But for those of you who feel down with Christmas being long over and not quite looking forward to New Year's yet, allow me to offer you this last Christmas gift, (if you can call it that) today in the form of this chapter! I hope you enjoy it.)**

The rest of the first term went by rather too quickly for Severus' liking. He didn't like the idea of time flying. He spent many hours in the library looking for books that explained Voldemort's key to immortality. All his efforts were to no avail, and there was no teacher he could turn to, to ask for permission to find such a particularly Dark topic in the Restricted Section. It would be too suspicious around Dumbledore for a first year to ask to go to that part of the library anyway.

Severus was running out of options on how to fight Voldemort. He tried thinking of all sorts of ways he could sneak into the Restricted Section, but none sprung to mind. And he had no intention or, to his mind, choice to ask Dumbledore for help.

November became December, and Autumn became Winter. Snow spread across the grounds of Hogwarts, and snowball fights and snowmen swiftly followed at the weekends off. The homework was becoming more frequent, and there was a fair amount of it to be done over the Christmas holidays, but to Severus and Lily, this was all exhilarating, even after a whole term. Lily was still getting used to the wonders of magic, and in just school alone. She couldn't get enough of it, even in the form of written homework essays.

James and Sirius were best friends again, and Pettigrew was now shuffling around behind them, like a germ that would not wash off. James didn't mind. Pettigrew acting like a chaperone made him look like a leader, and he had been a loyal friend when James was in that spate of having almost no friends at all. By now, he was Mr Popular all over again. The only girl whom didn't reinstate her fancying of him was Mary. She had become too good a friend to Lily, Severus and Quincey to get too close to James again. And after the way he acted in the past few months, she had gone right off him.

Remus had become very happy after the first week of December. He had gone to Dumbledore's office the week before full moon, and he and Professor Slughorn had presented him with a cauldron's worth of the Wolfsbane Potion. He was ordered to take it once every day on that week, or the effects wouldn't work. And so, after taking it in multiple doses, exactly at the times and days that Slughorn ordered, Remus was taken to the Shrieking Shack by Madam Pomfrey, and she wished him all the best.

He stood alone in the Shack, ready for full moon. Or at least as ready as he would ever be, and with more determination than he had ever had before.

The moon rose, and Remus felt his transformation begin. Immediately, he felt certain that the Potion didn't work. He was still feeling the horrific pain that came at every change. He howled in agony as he became furred and his nose became a snout and he collapsed on all fours, his hands and feet becoming paws.

He opened his eyes when the pain died down. He looked down at his paws on the ground. It couldn't be. He was him. Not the werewolf.

It worked!

He could think, he was of sound mind. He just looked like a werewolf. But he wasn't one. He wasn't a savage and infectious beast. He was Remus Lupin. He was a human being in an animal's tame body.

Remus was delighted and tried to yell with joy, but sadly, it still came out a roar. Disgusted by his own wolfish voice and incapability of speech, Remus decided to just stay put and rest. He saw the massive bed in the room, hopped onto it and curled up, his head in his paws, his tail curled over his hind legs and nuzzling the pillow, full of mingled joy at the success of the Potion, and the conflicting sadness of being trapped in his own mind for the night, he fell fast asleep.

The following morning, Remus rose, back to flesh, and feeling as poorly as he had the last time. He concluded that while the Potion maintained his mind, the effects of the transformation remained unchanged. He would still have to endure insufferable pain and feel horrendously ill.

Still looking on the bright side that his werewolf persona was now tame and under control, Remus made his way out of the Willow after getting dressed once more. Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore were waiting for him.

"Well?" said McGonagall worriedly. "Did it work?"

"It worked." panted Remus with a faint smile on his pale lips. "I was tame. I just curled up on the bed and went to sleep after the transformation…I looked horrible…but I was me. I was still me!"

"This is marvellous news." smiled Dumbledore. "I must boost Horace's salary by another percentage."

McGonagall and Pomfrey escorted Remus to the Hospital Wing shortly after the congratulations were completed. Remus was laid to sleep once again on the bed he was given. He was still ill and still exhausted from the ordeal of his monthly transformations, but at least he had something to smile about this Christmas. He had to stay at Hogwarts this first year though. He had to face transformation for the second time this month on New Year's Eve. He was terribly upset he couldn't go to see his parents.

Luckily, Dumbledore, being the great man that he is, put Remus out of that particular misery when he woke up from his extended nap.

"Mr Lupin." he greeted. "I have arranged under special circumstances that you can use a Portkey to get yourself home for Christmas Eve and Day."

"Oh, thank you, sir!" said Remus happily.

"You will need to take your first dose of Wolfsbane Potion just after using the Portkey, and the second whilst at your parents' house on Christmas Day. I will give you the Boxing Day dose myself upon your return to Hogwarts at midday." continued Dumbledore.

"Thank you so much, sir." said Remus quietly and contentedly.

"You rest some more, Mr Lupin." smiled the Headmaster. "And enjoy the last couple of weeks of term. Oh, and if you don't mind my saying so, I do hope you will reconcile with your friends soon. They're all worried about you."

Remus remained silent, and when Dumbledore left, he pretended to be asleep so as to avoid a similar topic with Madam Pomfrey.

The Christmas holidays were now in session. The term was over, and Severus and Lily were on the Hogwarts Express sharing a compartment with Mary, Marlene, Rebecca and Quincey. They played Wizard Snap and exchanged Chocolate Frog cards. Severus had two copies of Dumbledore's card and gave it to Lily for free, and she gave him a Rowena Ravenclaw card in return, despite his protestations.

The compartment door opened three times on that journey. The first time was when Sirius and James peeked in. Sirius was going home as Regulus wanted his company for Christmas.

"Hi."

"Hi." came the replies.

"We were wondering if we could talk to Severus." said James.

"Oh, it's Severus, now, is it?" asked the young Ravenclaw bluntly.

"Please, mate." said Sirius imploringly.

"Say your say where we are." replied Severus stubbornly. He had been pestered by the pair since the event of saving them from Remus' werewolf form, hoping to try and gain his friendship and his forgiveness. The latter was mostly for James' benefit, but Sirius didn't know that Severus still bore a deep grudge against him and his counterpart.

Lily didn't know why Severus still seemed to dislike them. Sirius had done nothing offensive to him since their first acquaintance on the train coming to Hogwarts. She could understand why he still bore a grudge for James, but his actions were confusing. One moment, he saves James' life, and then the next, he wishes James nothing but ill.

"Fine." said James as patiently as he could. "You saved us, and we're grateful. We just wanna make things up with you and maybe even be friends if you can manage that. I know we didn't start out right, but we could try and do better now. That's all I'm asking. A chance to be better than I was before."

"There has to be a catch." muttered Severus.

Sirius frowned. "Well, I'll admit there is."

"Aha." said Severus mockingly.

"We just want you to speak with Remus when we come back to school. He trusted you before he trusted me, and he never had a reason to trust James." explained Sirius.

"What did you two do to upset Remus?" asked Lily.

"Are you two the reason he's been avoiding everyone?" asked Quincey severely.

"He isn't talking to you guys either?" asked James, recovering from Sirius' mistake in bringing Remus into the discussion.

"No." replied Mary.

"Well, maybe it isn't us then." hinted James.

"Maybe." said Sirius. "But what do you say, Severus? Could you not give us a chance?"

Severus frowned. He didn't want to be friends with either of them ever, but he knew he had to act like he did eventually, or Lily might see him as a bad person for bearing grudges and not being able to let the past go. If only she could know what past he was being asked to let go of.

"I'll consider it over Christmas." he said at last with coldness.

"Thanks, Severus." said James and Sirius in unison, and they both departed.

The second time the door opened brought in Frank and Alice, and they were much more welcome.

"Everyone alright in here?" asked Frank.

"Yes, thanks." smiled Rebecca.

"Good." smiled Alice. "Have a Happy Christmas, all of you."

"Happy Christmas!" came the united reply.

Not long after Frank and Alice departed, the third and less wanted disturbance occurred. Lucius Malfoy opened the door, and he was being followed by Avery. Mulciber was absent.

"Well, if it isn't the Gryffindor's saviour and his lackeys, unlimited to Mudbloods." sneered Malfoy.

"If our presence is so disdainful, I suggest you get lost!" snarled Quincey with suppressed fury.

Severus smirked. His new best friend who wasn't Lily had come far since the start of term.

"Say that one more time." dared Malfoy viciously.

"Get lost!" yelled Quincey, without hesitation.

Malfoy made to draw his wand when he felt another wand press to his neck. Frank was holding it with Alice quickly disarming his smaller apprentice.

"Leave them alone, Malfoy!" snapped Frank.

Malfoy frowned, lowered his wand, muttered "Blood traitors." and skulked away, followed by the now timid but indignant Avery.

Severus heard Malfoy call out purposefully: "Wait till he learns what my father did!" He decided to ignore him. Like his son after him, Lucius Malfoy was all bark and no bite.

"Thanks, Frank, Alice." said Quincey.

"You're welcome." said Alice.

"Although, the way you stirred his temper, Quincey, I'd say you were doing very well yourself." said Frank appraisingly.

"Yeah." said Lily. "You've definitely become more brave and self-confident, Quincey."

The young Ravenclaw smiled. He looked to his best friend, Severus. Severus was smiling at him with approval.

"Nice one, Quincey." he said proudly.

The rest of the train journey was smooth sailing from there. And when they reached Platform Nine and Three Quarters, they gave their hugs goodbye until next term in a couple of weeks. James and Sirius faded into the crowd. Mary, Frank and Alice waved as they found their respective families, and Severus, Lily and Quincey saw their parents waiting. Quincey's parents stood not far from Lily's parents and Eileen.

"Mummy! Daddy!" shouted Lily as she ran into her parents' outstretched arms.

"Hey, sweetheart!" squealed Rose, with joy.

"How was your first term of magic school?" asked Trevor interestedly.

"It was great!" squeaked Lily. "We did matchstick transfigurations, we looked at these wonderfully odd plants, we learned to use the Bat Bogey Hex and we flew on brooms and everything!"

Lily was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet, making Severus and Quincey chuckle.

"Quincey, dear." said the woman assumed to be his mother.

"Hi, Mummy!" Quincey embraced his mother, whilst Severus rushed up to Eileen in a tight embrace.

"Hey, Severus." whispered his mother lovingly.

"I missed you, Mum." replied Severus quietly.

She smiled. "You and I are going to Apparate straight from here to Prince Manor. Your grandparents insisted we spend the Christmas week there. Lily's parents have accepted an invitation to come around for dinner on Christmas Day."

Severus was pleased to hear he would be with Lily and his grandparents, as well as Eileen this Christmas.

"Your grandparents are dying to hear of your first few months at Hogwarts, and are intrigued that you're the first Prince in several centuries to not be a Slytherin." continued Eileen.

Severus nodded along, happy to hear his mother's voice properly again, when he noticed something in her eyes. He had the sense of something forebodingly familiar. He almost instantly realized what it was: secrecy. Eileen was hiding something from him. Just like Dumbledore always did in his past life.

Before he could confront this, Quincey walked over to him.

"Mum, Dad, this is my best friend at Hogwarts, Severus Prince!" introduced Quincey.

"Splendid to meet you, Severus." said Mr Morris, taking Severus' hand and shaking it firmly.

"Thank you for making our boy feel so wanted and cared for at that school. We weren't entirely sure, you see." added Mrs Morris. "He never had many friends cos of his unique talents, but now he seems so happy, and we apparently have you to thank."

"Oh, um, uh…no problem, Mr and Mrs Morris. Quincey's a good friend to me too." stammered Severus. He still wasn't very comfortable with feeling praised or even liked by others.

"I'll see you after Christmas, Severus." said Quincey cheerily and the two friends waved until Quincey and his parents went through the barrier and back to the Muggle world.

After her parents explained to her that Severus was going to his grandparents' home and that they would join him there for Christmas Day, Lily went up to Severus and hugged him close.

"I'll see you at Christmas, Sev." she whispered.

"I'll see you then, Lils." replied Severus. He felt a little saddened. He would miss Lily. But she wasn't going anywhere this time.

After a longer embrace from them, and shared ones between Rose, Trevor and Eileen, the Evans family went through the barrier whilst Eileen took Severus' hand and they Disapparated.

Severus looked round to find himself just outside the Prince Manor. Eileen used incantations to bypass some magical protective barriers.

Severus watched her and then remembered that his mother was definitely maintaining some information of sorts from him.

"Mum." he said.

"Yes, honey?" replied his mother.

"What are you hiding from me?" asked Severus simply.

Eileen froze. She sighed deeply and turned to her son.

"I must look like Albus Dumbledore to you right now. I should have known you'd notice secrecy in anyone by now." she said.

"Yes." replied her son.

"Well, don't worry." she continued. "Your grandfather will explain later."

Severus was a little worried.

Later, after placing his belongings in his assigned bedroom, Severus went back down to join his mother and grandparents to luncheon. The dishes of mussels and whelks were splendidly piled by house-elves and snow piled by the windows outside giving a festive effect to the place.

Severus tucked into his bowl of mussels, whilst Septimus and Desdemona praised the head house elves for their efforts. Their attitude towards the elves had improved significantly as well since Severus came into their lives along with their lost daughter.

Severus was still waiting to hear from either Septimus or Eileen what it was that he was being hidden from. After luncheon was finished with, Septimus decided to speak up at last.

"Your mother has told me that you're a very perceptive child, Severus, and will see through any attempts of secrecy, so she, your grandmother and myself have decided to explain things to you today, before Christmas and before Miss Evans comes, so that way, time can pass, and you can still have a Happy Christmas."

"What is it, Grandad?" asked Severus concernedly.

Septimus nudged Desdemona and she handed him a copy of the _Daily Prophet_.

"Look at page 38, dear." she said morosely.

Severus flicked to that page, having not read the newspaper today, and his face darkened into a frown.

The headline read: **AILING MEMBER OF THE WIZENGAMOT STRUCK OFF FOR REST LEAVE, PENDING RETIREMENT.**

"Read on, Severus." said Eileen.

Severus did so, becoming more and more angered by the content.

 _'_ _Septimus Beresford Prince, aged 68, has been suspended from the Wizengamot at the Ministry of Magic under the request of several fellow members and outside employees at the Ministry, under the grounds of highly deteriorating mental health._

 _Mr Prince, whilst refusing to give comment, has been spoken after by Ministry workers known to be his close comrades. One such person, a Mr Hermes Malfoy, spoke of his 'dear friend's' sad and tragic health drop. "I was dreadfully aggrieved to watch my good friend start to alter from the great man I knew into a bumbling man who speaks fondly of Muggles, a subject he used to express such fury towards. I asked my fellow workers what they thought of Septimus' attitude change, and all of them admit they found his change disturbing. A friend of mine, whom works at St Mungo's, explained to me, that Septimus has the symptoms of the common disease known to wizards and Muggles alike as dementia. My friend and myself expressed these findings to the Minister and the Wizengamot. I was terribly disappointed to learn of the decision that was made: that Septimus needed to be suspended and likely retired. He will be sorely missed by myself and many of us here at the Ministry."_

Severus read on to see more interviews with more traitorous former comrades of his grandfather. He was irate with anger. Now he understood Lucius Malfoy's words, 'Wait till he learns what my father did!' It seemed that Malfoy's crude foreshadowing was not idle. His father had truly done something, and that was dismember Septimus from the Ministry, forcing him into retirement.

"They can't get away with this." fumed Severus.

"And they won't." replied Desdemona. "We'll take this up to the Wizengamot and we will show them all that Septimus is of perfectly sound mind, and is just a changed man. He will be back to work before Easter, as long as things go well."

"I hope so." replied Severus. He rose from his seat and hugged his grandfather. "I'm sorry this has happened to you, Grandad."

"Not your fault, boy." said Septimus, clapping his grandson's back. "It's just a bump in the road, that's all. Things will be perfectly fine in a few months' time. In the meantime, you just enjoy your Christmas holidays. I look forward to seeing your charming friend, Lily, again. I'm sure she'll fill the old place with Christmas cheer."

Severus had no doubt of that.

He looked to his mother and hugged her. But something else worried him. Despite the revelation of his grandfather's suspension from work, Eileen's eyes still held something in them that showed to him that she was keeping a secret. Another secret. And Severus intended to find out what it was by the end of the holidays.

Christmas Day came soon enough. But it couldn't come soon enough for Severus. He and his mother went to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade respectively via either Apparition or by Floo Network. They bought Christmas gifts for Septimus, Desdemona and Severus' friends back at Hogwarts.

In Lily's case, Severus bought her both a Christmas present and a birthday present to give her at the end of January.

The Christmas gift was Honeydukes' finest Christmas based sweets and chocolates, and for her birthday, he got her a book dedicated to Charms work, as that was the class she exceeded at the most so far. He knew full well that Charms was always her vocation, and he wanted to make her even better. He considered buying her a book on defensive spells next year, to make sure she would be doubly prepared for danger in the future, in case he failed to destroy Voldemort.

When Christmas Day came, Severus keenly woke and opened all his gifts from his mother and his grandparents, then he saw a pile of other presents with his name written on them. He had never seen so many in his previous lifetime.

"It seems you have made a lot of friends this time round, Severus." said Eileen fondly.

Severus smiled happily and unwrapped an endless supply of sweets, Zonko products and a fun facts on magical properties book from Remus. Severus was hoping this meant that Remus was willing to be his close friend again. He had really come to appreciate the Remus of this world.

At the end of the morning, after a hearty breakfast, and storing his presents in his bedroom, Severus heard the whoosh of the fireplace. He paced back downstairs to find Lily, Rose, Trevor and Petunia dusting themselves off after coming to the Manor via the Floo Network.

"Sev!" cried Lily.

Lils!" replied Severus.

The two best friends embraced and said in unison: "Merry Christmas."

Lily greeted the Prince family warmly, and Rose and Eileen embraced like best friends. Presents were exchanged, including several magical objects and toys for Petunia to keep privately.

"You mustn't show that Sneakoscope to anyone, Tuney." said Lily. "It's just to keep you safe and warn you of any danger. At least that's what Sev and Mr Prince say."

"Thank you." said Petunia cheerily, hugging her sister and her friend respectively.

They chatted and played all day. Snowball fights outside as well as building snowmen occurred, and Lily and Severus demonstrated broomstick flying to the rest of the Evans family. Petunia looked jealous as she could never fly a broom, so Eileen offered to take her for a ride. Petunia agreed and let her arms go free once they were up in the air, circling the mansion. She had never felt so elegant and free in all her life.

After that, Petunia and Trevor tried to show Severus and Lily how to ski. But neither of them were very good at it. In Severus' case, it was because he had never heard of skiing before, and in Lily's case, it was because, like her mother, she had no sense of balance, which was why she let Eileen take Petunia up in the air, as she could barely keep herself on the broom most times.

After all these festive outdoor activities, the house elves summoned them all back indoors, ready for the Christmas dinner.

There was a succulent and enormous roast turkey, complete with pigs in blankets, chestnut, sage and onion stuffing, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce and two jugs of rich gravy, mixed with the Prince family's finest vintage red wine.

The two families dug in to their meal, and even Petunia couldn't complain.

"This is lovely!" she practically sang to the Princes.

"You must really thank our house elves." said Desdemona pleasantly. "They do it all, albeit with help from Eileen on occasion."

Petunia promised to, though she was unfamiliar with elves, and Lily saw that she was hoping for someone to come with her to thank and introduce herself to them after the dinner was completed.

Puddings were almost as good as the main feast. Christmas puddings, ice creams, cheesecake and berry pies galore.

"Two families, more options." said Septimus with a chortle.

"Your elves have really outdone themselves." said Trevor.

"They don't…they're not um…" said Rose hesitantly.

"No, they are not exactly slaves, Rose." explained Eileen. "They love to work, there are some elves who don't like the house elf code of serving a wizarding family, but our elves have only ever had love and respect for us, although Dad has only just come around to treating them with respect in return."

Septimus frowned shamefacedly and finished eating his pudding.

Petunia was taken by Eileen and Lily to meet the house elves. They were delighted to meet her and were grateful for her appreciation. Petunia even asked for the recipe for their cheesecake, as it had special ingredients to emphasise the taste.

The Evans family soon had to depart. They were full, happy and content. They thanked the Princes heartily and Eileen and Rose promised to catch up upon their return to Spinner's End in two days' time.

Severus hugged Lily.

"See you before New Year, Sev." said Lily cheerfully.

"Definitely." replied Severus.

As the Evans family left through the Floo Network, Severus smiled hugging his mother.

"Can't wait for New Year's now." he said.

Eileen smiled in response. She still looked like she was hiding something from Severus. Whenever he tried to bring it up, she always responded with, "It's of no consequence, Severus."

He spoke to his grandparents, but they assured him that Eileen wasn't ill or anything serious like that.

Severus frowned as he went to bed that Christmas night. He hoped that he and Eileen would never keep secrets in this life, and sooner or later, he would find out what his mother was hiding from him now.

 **(Merry Christmas to my readers, and a Happy New Year too!)**


	19. Chapter 19: The Return Trip

**Chapter 19: The Return Trip**

New Year's Eve went swimmingly for Severus. His grandparents visited him and Eileen at their home in Spinner's End. Eileen did all the cooking, and nobody complained, including the welcomed guests in the form of Lily, Petunia and their parents.

They all watched what Septimus believed to be called the 'telefusion' to watch the Muggle countdown to the New Year, for the Evans' benefit, and the resultant fireworks display impressed Septimus and Desdemona, no end.

"Muggles seem fairly capable of their own special brand of magic in their own right." said Septimus. "Those fireworks look an awful lot like sparks we use with our wands to alert people of our location should we be in distress in principle, only these rockets look even better and more expansive in size."

The Evans looked proud that wizards were impressed by an invention of their people's heritage.

Rose and Trevor took the excited Lily and Petunia home not long after that, and Septimus and Desdemona grew tired and departed too, leaving Severus and Eileen to peacefully clean up and go to bed themselves. They were both so happy with the celebrations, that Severus quite forgot that Eileen still had something to divulge to him.

A few days later, Severus and Lily were on Platform Nine and Three Quarters, ready to start the second term of their first year at Hogwarts. They were excited for the next term and just as keen to reunite with their friends on board the Hogwarts Express.

After waving goodbye to Eileen, Rose and Trevor, the two best friends went to find a compartment that was either empty or containing their friends. On the second coach, they found Quincey, Mary and Marlene in the third compartment in, and entered themselves.

"Room for two more?" asked Lily.

"Definitely." replied Marlene, saving a spot for Lily, between her and Mary, whilst Severus sat with Quincey, opposite Lily.

"How was Christmas?" asked Quincey.

"Brilliant." said Lily.

"Oh, Severus." said Mary sympathetically. "We read about what happened to your grandfather. We're sorry."

Marlene and Quincey nodded in agreement.

"It's a load of rubbish." said Lily.

"My grandad is perfectly fine." said Severus bitterly. "Malfoy's dad and his Dark buddies made him out to be deteriorating in mental health, all because he had come round to accepting Muggles and Muggle-borns."

"And half-bloods." added Lily.

Mary, Marlene and Quincey were furious.

"Wish we were in fifth year." said Quincey. "We'd show Malfoy a thing or two."

"At least he'll be gone by the time we reach fourth year." said Mary.

"And don't wish fifth year upon yourself too hastily, Quincey." said Severus. "OWLs are meant to be so distressing."

"Ah, that's years off yet." said Marlene cheerfully. "Let's talk happy stuff."

"Like how gooey in the brain and heart you get whenever you see Sirius Black?" teased Mary.

That led to a lot of laughter, when Marlene decided to take the spotlight off of herself.

"Here's someone else who gets gooey or whatever you said." she pointed out. "You know Rebecca Castle? My best friend? She has big eyes for James Potter."

Everyone chuckled, and Severus had a genuine smile on his face. If Rebecca Castle played her cards right, perhaps she would become this reality's Mrs James Potter and he would still have hope of Lily becoming Lily Snape.

As the conversation went on, Lucius Malfoy came in, sporting his Prefect badge, but with a contrasting bullying smirk on his face.

"How's the old man enjoying his retirement, hm?" he asked Severus.

"He's taking it well." replied Severus. "This was a waste of your pathetic father's time, Malfoy. He will be back soon enough!"

"Don't call my father pathetic, _little_ boy!" snarled Malfoy.

"No, you're right." said Severus. "He's a waste of space. You're the pathetic one, idolising such a worthless cause so blindly, just cos Daddy likes the Dark Arts."

Malfoy was about to settle things with his wand, until Professor Slughorn appeared. He was the only teacher on the train today.

"Now, now." he said cheerfully. "No conflict on the school train, Lucius."

"Yes, Professor." said Malfoy grudgingly before walking away.

"No cheekiness from any of you either." said Slughorn pleasantly before walking further along the train.

"What do you suppose Slughorn's doing on the train?" asked Lily.

"I hear he has a club on it." said Marlene. "He calls it the Slug Club. He invites elite students to attend it, and gain from them with his generosity and party invitations and praise."

"You sound jealous." teased Mary.

"Nah, first years never make the cut." said Marlene. "Frank told us at dinner once. It's like how first years never make house teams in Quidditch."

Soon, the train was driving by night, and as the girls changed, Severus and Quincey waited outside, and then James and Sirius approached them, with the reluctant Peter Pettigrew bringing up the rear.

"Hi, Severus. Quincey." greeted James.

"Hi." said Quincey.

Severus didn't answer. He gave a curt but civil nod.

"Did you reflect on the idea of being friends?" asked Sirius.

"I have." said Severus, whilst internally adding, 'Albeit briefly.'

"And?" asked James.

"And I don't see it happening." replied Severus honestly. "You can be friends with my friends if you must, but I just can't bring myself to be friends with those who judged me for who my family were. You weren't just insulting me, you were insulting my family."

He omitted the fact that he had a deeper grudge with their alternate beings.

James and Sirius looked crestfallen.

"We are sorry about that." said James. "But it was mostly me. Sirius dropped it after that first day."

Severus knew that to their minds, Sirius was less justified to be cut off as a potential friend to him, but he didn't know how to reply to that. He couldn't tell them the truth. So, he remained silent.

"We'll take up your offer to be friends with Quincey and Lily and the others." continued James.

"But please, keep thinking on it." said Sirius. "You saved our lives. We just want to return the favour and be friends with you."

"I don't need your friendship to survive at Hogwarts." retorted Severus.

James and Sirius sighed in unison. They couldn't understand why, but they both had the feeling that Severus' hatred of them seemed to be deeper than was necessary. It wasn't like they had tormented him for years on end. Quincey noticed how deep Severus' hate seemed to be and was showing a strong concern for his friend.

After James and Sirius left, Severus and Quincey took over the compartment while the girls waited outside so they could change into robes too.

"Are you alright, Severus?" asked Quincey concernedly.

"Yes." replied Severus dismissively.

"I know Potter tried to make your life Hell last term, but he has apologised a lot now, and Black only upset you for one day, and almost immediately came to regret it. But you look at them as though they ruined your entire life or something."

Severus turned silent. He was now worried. Quincey could tell something was off. He could sense that there was more to Severus' hatred for James and Sirius than he was willing to let on.

Then he heard chuckling coming from outside. James and Sirius had returned, and they were talking pleasantly to the girls.

Severus' blood ran cold.

What if his hate for James made Lily feel distant towards him for not letting things go? What if her friendship with James strengthened even more now that they were on amicable terms in first year instead of sixth year? What if this meant that James had a stronger chance of winning Lily's heart than ever?

Severus changed into his robes more quickly, and then spoke to Quincey.

"I guess you're right…will you come with me though?" He gestured towards James and Sirius.

"Sure thing, buddy." said Quincey with a smile.

Severus was cringing and even going slightly pale at what he was about to do, but Quincey just passed it off as nerves. His suspicions were fading.

The two of them came out to greet the party. Lily was chatting cheerily with Sirius, and Marlene was chatting with James, though never taking her eyes from Sirius. Mary noticed their arrival first.

"That was quick." she remarked.

"Just excited to be getting back." said Quincey cheerfully.

Severus stepped up to James and Sirius. Pettigrew, fortunately, wasn't there. At least there was one small mercy, he thought.

"I can't promise it'll be easy." he said with an edge to his voice. "But Quincey has convinced me that I should give you two a chance. So…yes, I will try to be friends."

With the most well disguised reluctance and revolt, Severus extended a hand to the two of them. Sirius and James smiled and shook his hand in turn.

"Thanks, Severus." said James.

"You won't regret it." added Sirius.

Severus nodded silently, then turned to his friends. Mary looked surprised. Marlene looked pleased. Quincey nodded proudly, and Lily was positively delighted that her best friend was finally willing to let bygones be bygones.

That smile of delight was good enough to encourage Severus to see these new 'friendships' out. With any luck, the two Marauders would screw up again and give both Severus and Lily reason to cut all ties with them altogether.

Soon, everyone was back in their own compartments, and Lily hugged Severus happily.

"Well done for accepting their friendship." she said.

"It wasn't easy." said Severus.

"What made you change your mind?" asked Mary.

"Quincey is very persuasive." said Severus half truthfully.

The others praised Quincey, whom blushed a little, and Severus chatted cheerfully with Lily as the train continued until at last they returned to the school and went this time, to the seemingly horseless carriages.

Severus was surprised to see that he couldn't see the Thestrals. Death witnessed in the other universe seemed to have no effect in this one, plus he hadn't seen Septimus kill Tobias on that night.

This once again emphasised to Severus just how lucky he was to have a second chance. His soul was being given a symbol of the fact that he was no longer tainted by his previous lifetime's choices.

Soon enough, the students arrived at Hogwarts itself and the friends rushed up to the Entrance Hall, led by Professor Slughorn.

The snow still lay thick across the grounds. Then as they made their way, Severus noticed the Whomping Willow and remembered that Remus was waiting for them all inside. Severus felt a pang of guilt. There they had been on New Year's Eve, enjoying themselves, whilst Remus laid silent and alone in the Shrieking Shack, his human mind trapped in the body of an infectious werewolf.

James and Sirius were thinking along the same lines, but maintained some hope that Remus would forgive them now that more time had passed.

The group of students filed into the Entrance Hall, and then into the Great Hall, where a small number of students were already seated, having stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas.

Amongst them was Remus, looking pale and apprehensive.

Severus looked to him with sympathy, as did Sirius and James. He avoided eye contact again and then Severus looked on as Slughorn went to join the rest of the staff at the High Table. Then he saw Dumbledore, whom seemed to be looking in his direction. Severus immediately lowered his head as he went to sit at the Ravenclaw table with Quincey, pretending to be excited for the feast and deliberately began a conversation with him about completing homework over the holidays.

Dumbledore had about a second of eye contact with Severus, and all he managed to see inside Severus' mind was that he was desperate to hide something from the Headmaster. For a brief moment, Dumbledore considered that Severus might have been hiding the desire to become a Death Eater, but the boy's personal friendship with Lily Evans proved otherwise, plus a lot of the Slytherins showed no hint of fear of being known as wannabe Death Eaters. Severus Snape was clearly hiding something else, but why from Dumbledore? Dumbledore decided that a whole term was quite long enough. He would learn the truth tonight.

The feast went by cheerfully and too quickly for most students' liking. This would be their last feast until the Easter holidays where they weren't feeling weighed down by timetables and homework.

Not long after, Dumbledore wished them all a pleasant night's sleep. But as the students began to move, Dumbledore asked quickly addressed Flitwick.

"Filius, could you please send Master Snape to my office post haste?"

"Of course, Albus. But why do you need him?" asked Flitwick.

"That is a matter between Master Snape and myself, Filius."

Flitwick was astonished to say the least. He had shown mysterious motives before, but never did they concern a student, least of all, a student from his House.

Flitwick pursued Severus and luckily enough, saw him delaying the trip back to Ravenclaw Tower, as he was saying farewell to Lily for the night.

"See you tomorrow, Lils. And um, say hello to Remus for me, if you can." he said.

"I will, Sev. See you in the morning." said Lily.

As Lily went up to the seventh floor, Flitwick approached Severus, whom was about to catch up with Quincey.

"Mr Snape, Professor Dumbledore requests your presence in his office. I shall escort you there at once, and wait for you afterwards to take you back." said Flitwick authoritatively.

Severus tried his best not to pale or look panicked. If he was going to be in Dumbledore's office alone, he would have next to no hope of hiding his past from the Headmaster. This could be the end of his second chance at life. This meeting with Dumbledore was going to decide his new destiny, and he was beyond terrified to find out.

 **(So, here's Chapter 19. Sorry it's considerably shorter than the last ones, but I promise that the next chapter will be longer, and failing that, more exciting! I hope you like this one all the same. Chapter 20 will up soon. Please review your opinions! Thank you!)**


	20. Chapter 20: Private Meeting

**Chapter 20: Private Meeting in the Head Office**

Severus was led by Flitwick up to Dumbledore's office, backtracking to the second floor to where the gargoyle barrier stood.

"I'll take you up and announce you, then I will wait for your meeting to end, and I will then escort you back to Ravenclaw Tower." said Flitwick with a stern pitch. He didn't know what Dumbledore wanted with Severus, but he assumed it was something bad. But what could Severus have possibly done to cause such trouble on the first night back after Christmas?

Flitwick then said, "Sugar Heart."

The gargoyle moved and the spiral staircase began to take shape. Severus and Flitwick stepped on it and they were escorted up to the door leading into the Headmaster's office.

Flitwick knocked.

"Enter." came the cheerful response.

Severus was led into the same office he spent many a day with Dumbledore in his adult years, as well as two months ago after saving James and Sirius from the werewolf. Dumbledore sat cheerfully at his desk, with Fawkes the phoenix taking a nap on his perch. The portraits seemed to be asleep also.

"Thank you, Professor Flitwick." said Dumbledore graciously.

"I shall wait for him downstairs if this is a private meeting, Professor." said Flitwick.

"That won't be necessary." replied Dumbledore. "This could take a while. I shall escort Mr Prince back to his dormitory myself after our business is over."

Flitwick looked even more surprised.

"If you say so, Headmaster." He and Severus shared a look, before the small teacher departed from the office.

As the door closed behind him, Severus felt a sense of despair. He was going to be found out tonight, and everything he hoped that wouldn't come to pass would occur. He would be forced to become a spy upon graduation, he would lose Lily because of the danger of his work…and she would once again marry James Potter after he seemingly neglects their friendship and apparently join up with the Death Eaters.

"Hello, Severus." came the dreadful, calm and polite voice.

"Hello, Headmaster." said Severus, his eyes still fixed on the door through which Flitwick had just left.

"You can look at me when I speak to you, Mr Prince." said Dumbledore.

Severus turned and faced in the direction of the Headmaster, but in the hopes of giving the impression that he felt abashed for his rudeness, he kept his head down, and let any hair that could still cover his eyes despite his grooming over Christmas fall over his forehead.

"Severus." said Dumbledore, and he suddenly had a dangerous tint to his tone. "You and I know full well that you are hiding something from me. You are deliberately avoiding eye contact, just as you have done ever since you started here, and even before that when I went to visit Miss Evans' family. You are aware of what Legilimency is, am I correct?"

Severus was backed into a corner, and he knew for a long time that it was pointless to lie to Dumbledore. He knew he had no option left but to tell the truth.

"Yes, sir."

"I see. I'm glad you appreciate honesty on both sides." said Dumbledore.

"Sides of what?" asked Severus accusatorily. "Sides of the conversation or sides of the light and dark?"

Dumbledore was surprised at the upstart nature of Severus.

"Sides of the conversation." he said. "I don't doubt you as a good boy, Severus. You are too close to Gryffindors and your fellow Ravenclaws alike. But the fact remains that you are hiding something from me. And for your safety and for that of your fellow students, I feel I need to know why that is."

Severus paused. He knew that if he revealed everything to Dumbledore, he would have as good as sealed his own fate. He would have to work for him once he came of age and would end up having to distance himself from Lily, for her sake. He didn't want to lose her. But on the other note, he knew that if he had any hope of disposing of Voldemort before the events of the prophecy took place, and saving Lily resultantly, he would need help in finding the available information on soul sharing. And despite all his knowledge of the Dark Arts from his mother's books in his past life, there was nothing of indication towards the subject in them. That only left one source of help; the man whom gave him the information that Voldemort's soul was shared by Harry Potter: Dumbledore himself.

"Do you deny that you have a secret that you're keen to keep from me, Severus?" asked Dumbledore calmly.

"…No, sir."

"Are you willing to explain yourself now that we both know that you are maintaining information?"

"Not particularly." replied Severus in all honesty.

"Is it information concerning Lord Voldemort?" asked Dumbledore.

Severus paused again, before giving a stiff nod. "And more."

"Then, Severus, I must insist you divulge." said Dumbledore sternly. "Secrets concerning the darkest wizard of all time is not for a first-year student to keep to himself. You need to share it with me. Any information could be vital to stopping him, and bringing peace to the Wizarding World."

"For the greater good." muttered Severus.

"Indeed." said Dumbledore, intrigued that Severus seemed to know his lines so well.

Severus sighed.

"You probably won't even believe me, Headmaster." he said quietly.

"In all my years, Severus, I have been inclined to believe many things." said Dumbledore cheerfully.

"Perhaps it would be best if I showed you?" asked Severus.

"How so?" asked Dumbledore.

"By giving you memories." said Severus.

"You know how to do that?" asked Dumbledore, growing more and more curious.

"I know the mechanics, but I might need help procuring the memories." said Severus.

"That's where my Legilimency could come in." said Dumbledore.

Severus sighed mournfully. He knew what all this would mean, but if it meant saving Lily's life, and those of his new friends and his family, he was now accepting of the idea to do anything it took, just as he was willing to do anything to avenge Lily's death and secure redemption for himself.

Severus tried to remember how he made his memories accessible to Harry Potter and just as he and Dumbledore finally made eye contact, his memories came as an immense blur to Dumbledore, whom was so overwhelmed by the amount of memories in an eleven-year-old child's mind, he pulled back in surprise. He saw nothing, but felt tragedy, pain and despair on the surface of every single one.

"What? How on-?"

Severus looked almost gleeful to see Dumbledore look so astounded for once in his lives. As the memories surfaced, he instinctively put his wand to his head and all the memories came out at once onto the tip, almost causing a heavy weight, and he looked to where Dumbledore's infamous Pensieve stood. He dropped them all inside.

"You know about my Pensieve?" asked Dumbledore, whom was leaning against his desk.

That was only one of countless questions he now had for Severus. How could one small child have so many memories, and such devastatingly miserable ones judging by what he felt on entering his mind?

Severus looked positively haunted by the pictures swirling before him from inside the Pensieve. He saw his father beating him, he saw his pleas to Lily, and he saw Sirius Black tricking him into the Shrieking Shack…then he saw himself pleading with Dumbledore, and his cynical first meeting with Harry Potter…and finally he saw him cast the Killing Curse. He looked away.

"You can look." he mumbled. He looked devastated at having to share them.

"I think you had better come with me." said Dumbledore. "I think it would only make you feel more distressed to sit here alone, afraid of my rising back out."

Severus saw the sense in that and nodded.

"Please don't…hate what I was."

Dumbledore didn't understand those words but went along with it.

He allowed Severus to enter the Pensieve first, then followed suit.

Dumbledore found himself in the playground close to where Severus and Lily lived. He saw the scene where Severus first met Lily, the original scene. He wondered why Severus was showing him this; it had nothing to do with Voldemort.

But then after a few more scenes showing his and Lily's pre-Hogwarts years, Dumbledore saw the original Sorting of him and Lily. He saw Lily become a Gryffindor. But Dumbledore noticed that Severus' reaction looked more miserable than what he had seen on that day. Then to Dumbledore's further shock and surprise, when Severus put on the Sorting Hat, it said almost instantly: "SLYTHERIN!"

"What?" gasped Dumbledore. "You're in Ravenclaw, Severus. I don't understand."

"You will." came the miserable sounding reply.

Dumbledore then saw the scene shift to when Severus finished his OWL in fifth year. He could barely fathom how this was possible. These were not figments of Severus' imagination, they were legitimate memories. They were impossibly real.

He surveyed not just the scene, but Severus himself beside him. Severus looked away, positively anguished. He clearly hated this particular memory. Dumbledore saw the Marauders attack Severus randomly, then the torturous use of Severus' own spell, then his assault on James, before being exposed half naked, and Lily's interference…and then, he saw Severus say the fatal word, "Mudbloods."

Then the scene shifted once again. He saw Severus implore with Lily to forgive him, and her ultimate response.

"You've chosen your way. I've chosen mine."

He heard Severus wince in agony at the remembrance of this scene.

Then he saw James announcing his engagement to Lily, and his own proud applause, but then he saw Severus fleeing the scene, unseen by anyone.

"You were in love with Miss Evans?" he said.

"Yes."

"How is all of this even possible?" asked Dumbledore.

"This life…it was my second chance."

Before Dumbledore could press the matter further, the scene changed again, and he was all the more intrigued. He saw himself disarming a now adult Severus.

"Don't kill me!"

"That was not my intention."

Then he watched Severus explain of the prophecy, and how Voldemort believed it to mean Lily and James' son. Then he watched as Severus begged him to protect the family, albeit only after the alternate Headmaster expressed his abhorrence at Severus' lack of concern for James and Harry's lives.

"What is this prophecy?" Dumbledore tried and failed to hide his mixed intrigue and disgust at how little this version of Severus cared for a baby's welfare.

"I overheard Sybil Trelawney speak it to you. It said the one destined to defeat the Dark Lord would be born at the end of July, but would possess powers that the Dark Lord knew not. But I only heard part of it before your brother caught me and threw me out." explained Severus quietly.

"Voldemort believed Lily's child to be the destined one to defeat him?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes."

"And your love for her made you change sides?"

"Yes." he repeated coldly.

Dumbledore silenced himself for a moment, and when he heard his alternate self ask Severus what he would give him in exchange for the Potter family's safety, he was almost touched when Severus replied, "Anything."

What Dumbledore saw next made him feel repulsed with even himself. He saw himself offering the clearly distraught Severus no pity and no comfort as he mourned the loss of the woman he loved. He watched as the other Dumbledore guilt-tripped the adult Severus into devoting his life to serving him for the memory of Lily…only in exchange for not telling anyone the best of Severus Snape.

The next few scenes showed Severus' missions and orders under Dumbledore's rule, all of little consequence other than showing beyond doubt that Dumbledore trusted the man with his life and more in the resistance against Voldemort.

Then came the scene that Severus knew might disturb Dumbledore most of all. He was feeding him the potion that prolonged his life for a year. Dumbledore paid some interest in the ring his counterpart seemed to have destroyed with the sword of Godric Gryffindor.

"It can't be." he said.

"What?" asked Severus keenly. Maybe Dumbledore knew Voldemort's secret from this memory somehow.

"It doesn't matter." replied Dumbledore dismissively.

Severus knew that somehow it did, but Dumbledore clearly wasn't at liberty to divulge how, yet. And if there was one individual Severus wasn't able to get to talk, it was Albus Dumbledore.

"You must kill me." said the alternate Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked shocked and turned to Severus, whom nodded to keep watching.

Dumbledore spoke of how he wanted Severus to kill him to spare the Malfoy boy the ignominy of having his soul wrenched apart in Voldemort's name. Severus complained that Dumbledore was willing to let that happen to him, but the accusation was dismissed and to the current Dumbledore's amazement, the older Severus agreed. His loyalty clearly knew no bounds.

Then the scene shifted once more to the office, where Severus seemed ready to learn a long-awaited secret, and the current Severus asked the Headmaster to listen carefully to his predecessor.

Dumbledore did so, and when his counterpart spoke of how Voldemort could not die while the fragment of his soul lived within Harry Potter, Severus saw what could only be described as an enlightenment flood the Headmaster's eyes. He was now excited. Dumbledore surely now knew Voldemort's secret to immortality.

Severus then watched sadly as his former self proved his love for Lily remained undiminished when he cast his doe Patronus for Dumbledore to see.

"After all this time?"

"Always."

"I think I've seen…quite enough." said Dumbledore.

This was just as well, as the next memory would have seen Severus killing Dumbledore at the top of the lightning-struck tower on that fatal night.

The two of them rose out of the Pensieve and Severus stared down at the floor, on his hands and knees, partially trying to recover from the memories he tried to keep down due to his fresh start, and also trying desperately not to think of the horrible new possibilities that were inevitably ahead of him now that he was coerced into revealing everything to Dumbledore.

"Mr Prince." said Dumbledore after what seemed a very long time of pure silence. "Tell me what all of that was. I know you didn't make these memories up, they're real, but how is it possible? How do you, a boy who clearly aged to his late thirties by the look of it, come to be here as a first-year student now?"

Severus panted and groaned. He may as well let the rest of the cat out of the bag now. There was no turning back from this past hour.

"I was killed by Voldemort a year after I killed you. He believed me to be the owner of your wand…he wanted full control of it…he set his snake on me. Luckily, I was able to give those memories you've just seen to the Potter boy, and I died…forces above wizardkind brought me back to life, but in a parallel universe…this universe. I'm from another universe, but I was brought back to have a second chance of life in a new world, as my old world had nothing left for me."

Dumbledore was beyond interested. He was ecstatic.

"You were given another chance at life to make up for your mistakes concerning Lily Evans?"

Severus nodded.

"And, also to stay true to the side of the Light. And that's how you came to be a Ravenclaw instead of a Slytherin."

Severus nodded again, feeling fed up.

"You came back without the skills you mastered by adulthood, so you had to avoid my Legilimency at all costs because you feared the repercussions of my finding out this truth." continued Dumbledore.

"Yes." mumbled Severus dismally.

"I regret a lot of the things my counterpart seems to have done to you." said Dumbledore sincerely. "I assume his treatment towards you is what limited your trust in my good self."

Severus nodded once more.

Dumbledore smiled. "That's understandable. And now, you have confirmed to me several things…and you have proven to be my youngest and possibly most valuable asset. Now, I know for certain how Voldemort can be defeated."

Severus looked up.

"That's the main reason I gave in and showed you my memories." he said hungrily. "I want to destroy him, before Lily becomes twenty, where she could be impregnated with the Chosen One. I want to stop him before the prophecy comes to exist in this universe. Please, Professor, tell me what my memories told you!"

Dumbledore looked at the small boy, and wondered whether or not to tell him the full truth, something his counterpart had failed to do, and hence caused some difficult obstacles for himself in the near future.

He knew that Severus was only eleven, but in retrospect, he was really forty-nine-years-old. He could clearly be trusted. Severus was not going to make the same mistakes again. He had the memories to ensure it.

"Very well. But you must not repeat this to anybody, not even Miss Evans, is that understood?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, sir."

"And when you reach your OWLs, in fifth year, I will need to make it my business to teach you Occlumency in case we fail to defeat Voldemort before then. If he takes any interest in you at all, he might try to penetrate your mind after leaving Hogwarts. Two to three years seems sufficient times to make you as accomplished an Occlumens as you must have been in your previous, uh, lifetime."

Severus knew this might be the case, but he didn't complain. Occlumency was one of his most treasured skills in the latter parts of his past life. But-

"I do not intend to be your spy in the camp again." he said coldly, which sounded very uncharacteristic for a young first-year student, speaking to his Headmaster. "I was given this second chance by your alternate self among others, and I do not plan to waste it by rotting between sides divulging different pieces of information and receive nothing in return…not even full trust."

He sounded distraught and accusatory as he said this. He felt ashamed for this, particularly in front of Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore sensed this tone, and laid a kindly hand on Severus' shoulder.

"You have my trust and respect, Mr Prince." he said gently. "And I'll prove it to you now. Take a seat."

Severus collapsed into the seat opposite Dumbledore's at the desk. He was emotionally exhausted but keen to learn everything kept from him in the past life.

"From what your memories told me, Voldemort's soul was ripped. A part of it separated from the whole and attached to the living soul of this child, Harry Potter." he said. "But if his soul was split once…I have a strong belief that Voldemort had already done this before, willingly."

Severus paled. "You mean he had more parts of his soul in other people? So, Harry Potter died for nothing?"

"Oh no, I don't think so." said Dumbledore assuredly. "Splitting the soul is a very Dark piece of advanced magic. It is caused by the wilful act of murder. Murder damages and renders the soul to pieces. As Voldemort commits murder willingly and without hesitation or remorse, he also split his soul…and made the fragments into Dark objects known as Horcruxes."

Severus looked clueless.

"I've never heard of Horcruxes before." he said honestly.

"Which is just as well, a relief even."

"Hm?"

"If it took you two lifetimes to learn what Horcruxes are, then the precautions I took to ensure no student ever learned what they are was not in vain. I removed every book that could relate to Dark means to gain immortality after Tom Riddle somehow became invincible."

"You knew he had these Horcruxes?" said Severus crossly.

"No." said Dumbledore. "I knew he was unstoppable, so I knew I had to ensure we didn't have another like him, so I ordered every possible book to be destroyed, confiscated or sealed away for good. But the book that talks of Horcruxes is gone from the library now. Now, to explain: a Horcrux is an object that one puts a piece of their soul in, and as long as one has a Horcrux, that individual cannot die. But if one destroys the Horcrux, one destroys the owner. If Voldemort had a piece of his soul in this Harry Potter lad, then yes, the boy had to die."

Severus looked at the Headmaster in awe.

"So…he made a Horcrux. Harry became a second one."

"Oh no, no. I'm certain Tom would not have been happy with just one Horcrux." said Dumbledore sadly. "I'm sure he took more than one precaution to protect his soul. I saw in your memories that he had made at least two by the time you reached that age."

"What?" said Severus. "What were those two?"

"One was that ring I destroyed with the Sword of Gryffindor." said Dumbledore. "It carried a terrible curse only Voldemort could have devised. Destroying it would not have broken the curse, but it did look damaged, burnt even. The piece of Voldemort's soul within the ring must have been that cause. That is at least my theory, so finding that ring in this universe is essential. The second one I noticed probably doesn't exist yet. I was interested when I heard that other me mention to you that Voldemort would fear for the life of his snake."

"You think Nagini was the second Horcrux?" asked Severus, surprised.

"Indeed." said Dumbledore. "But as that snake currently does not exist, we can safely assume there is one less Horcrux to deal with in this lifetime, and thanks to you being brave enough to tell me your secrets tonight, forewarned is now forearmed much earlier than in your old universe."

Severus felt touched. Dumbledore's praise was something he had always wanted, and there seemed to be no catch in the matter, as there had always been in the past.

"I believe that I'm going to have a busy year." said Dumbledore. "I will have to track down a lot of individuals. Some memories might be required in order to find out what the other Horcruxes might be."

Severus was interested to know too. Then it occurred to him.

"Sir, on the night I died in that old world, Harry Potter went to a lot of trouble to get into Hogwarts, despite being the most wanted man in the Wizarding World under Voldemort's reign. It might be possible that there is a Horcrux here at Hogwarts." he said keenly.

Dumbledore smiled with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Excellent deduction, Mr Prince." said Dumbledore. "I shall search this castle from top to bottom."

"Is there anything I can do?" Severus only asked this to be polite and to prove himself to still be useful.

"Not at present, Mr Prince." said Dumbledore proudly. "You've done more than enough already tonight. In the meantime, you can be rest assured that I shall endeavour to find these Horcruxes as fast as I possibly can…and with your memories, I know just which one to start with. I must find that ring."

"If you do, do not touch it with your bare hands!" warned Severus. "It will curse you again and doom you to maybe a year or less to live. And I don't think this world can cope without its Albus Dumbledore as well."

Severus really meant he couldn't bear to be put in the position where he'd have to kill his confidante and friend again. Dumbledore understood.

Soon, Dumbledore escorted Severus back to Ravenclaw Tower, solving the riddle for him.

"Rest well, Severus." he smiled. "And keep your friends close in the meantime. You will be hearing from me quite soon enough, I suspect."

Severus hoped that Dumbledore was being truthful here. As much as he'd like to be kept out of the way to an extent, he still wished to play a role in the downfall of Voldemort, for many a personal reason.

It was at that point, that Severus decided to make it his personal business, as well as Dumbledore's, to find the Horcrux that was contaminating the safe innards of Hogwarts.

 **Here's Chapter 20. I'm sorry if it's not very well detailed or realistic. I definitely struggled writing this one. Hope you will enjoy reading it all the same. Please review! Thank you.**


	21. Chapter 21: The Concerned Dead

**Chapter 21: The Concerned Dead**

Severus had kept his meeting with Dumbledore secret from everybody concerned, and whenever he saw him in the Great Hall at breakfast or dinnertime, he received a twinkling smile from the Headmaster. Fortunately, Lily and the others never noticed as they were either too keen to dig into their food, or were up to their noses in books, revising for the first-year exams.

Severus was not too keen on Dumbledore's newfound favouring of him. As discreet as it was, Severus felt that Dumbledore wasn't learning anything about himself from the memories he had seen. The Headmaster's favouritism of Gryffindors and almost instantaneous poor judgement of Slytherins was what led to James, Sirius and Peter Pettigrew continuously getting away with murder at Hogwarts in the past life, not to mention the injustice he suffered on the night James saved him from Remus. Hardly any punishment came to the Marauders, and Severus was chastised, despite being nearly killed. He decided to give Dumbledore some harsh words next time they met. At present, though, a couple of weeks had passed and no news from Dumbledore came.

On a brighter note, a week into the new term, on Severus' twelfth birthday, he, Lily and the others, including even James and Sirius were approached by Remus in the Great Hall.

"I'm sorry I've been so distant lately. Things at home have been, um, pretty bad. That's why I chose to stay here over the holidays. I only would have made things worse at home. Mum spent Christmas in St Mungo's. I would have gotten worse if I went home." he said quietly.

"Oh, Remus." said Lily affectionately. "I hope she's okay."

"Yeah, she's a bit better now. Not feeling too fantastic myself though." replied Remus.

Severus could see Remus hated having to lie to his friends, but at least he was willing to have friends again.

"Happy birthday, Severus." said Remus, handing Severus a book on potion-making for highly intellectual students.

Severus smiled, thanking his reconciled friend.

After a day, Remus managed to get Severus, James and Sirius alone.

"Thanks for not telling anyone." he said.

"No problem." said James earnestly.

"Besides, if we did, we'd be out of an education." teased Sirius.

Even Remus was able to chuckle slightly, though Severus frowned at how Sirius could find a joke in such a serious matter.

"Your secret's safe with us, anyway." said Severus.

Remus was grateful.

"And again, Remus, we're sorry." said James.

"Really." said Sirius with a more honest tone.

Remus nodded with a smile.

"Forgiven. This time." he added warningly.

James and Sirius smiled, and invited him to spend more time with them and Pettigrew in the common room.

Severus sighed in suppressed exasperation. It seemed that the Marauders would come to be after all.

Severus, Lily and Quincey were in the library revising for exams. They were not due to begin until May and June, and it was only Lily's birthday at the end of January. But Severus' insistence to keep ahead of things, and Lily and Quincey's keenness to learn a lot due to being neophytes to the world of magic still urged them to begin early.

"I don't understand half of this Transfiguration stuff!" complained Quincey.

"Huh!" scoffed Lily. "You think Transfiguration is difficult? Try reading up the Goblin Era in History of Magic. Binns has got to be the only one interested, and that's a Muggle-born talking! I don't think Tuney will enjoy this subject any more than we do, to be honest!"

Severus chuckled, unsure. Petunia was too obsessed with learning magic. She would likely be more willing than Lily to learn anything, especially as Lily would have more variety of magical education than Petunia ever would.

"I don't see many issues with Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts." he spoke up. "I bet you two can't pronounce this: Wugglaruggarara."

They both tried without reading from the book, to no avail, and it caused them to break into laughter. Madam Pince was none too pleased, and almost instantly threw them out of the library for that day.

"Aw, well, back here, same time tomorrow?" asked Quincey.

"Yep." replied Lily.

"Oh, um, Lily, my parents helped me buy you this over Christmas, for your birthday. Happy Birthday." He handed her a gift-wrapped package, and upon opening it, Lily found a romance novel with magic characters.

"Oh, well, thank you, Quincey!" she said, touched he had given her something that would appeal to her previous days before learning she was a witch. But then again, they were both Muggle-born.

Severus was suddenly worried. Did Quincey have a crush on Lily? Why else would he buy her that sort of book?

After promising to sit with Lily at dinner, to celebrate her birthday together, Severus and Quincey went to the Ravenclaw tower to put away the books they checked out of the library. Severus promptly burst into his worried interrogative.

"Um, Quincey, um, how can I put it? Um, do you have a thing…for…Lily?"

"No?" replied Quincey. "Why?"

"Well, um, just the romance book." mumbled Severus.

"Well, as Lily is a girl, and you two clearly like one another more than mere friends, I found a Muggle-written romance novel to be a safe bet." said Quincey with an innocent air.

Severus froze. Quincey saw through him already. He knew Severus cared for Lily damnably, but the only reason Severus was in love at so early an age, was due to the memories of his past life, and the fact that Lily was all he returned for. But what did Quincey mean by _they_ clearly liked each other more than just mere friends? Did he believe Lily was in love with him too? Already would have been a suitable word, if not for the fact that to Severus, it took two lifetimes for the penny to finally drop for him.

"I-I don't know…"

"What I'm talking about? Come off it, Severus." chuckled Quincey cheekily. "You're smitten. I've never seen an eleven-year-old look so fixated on a girl before."

Severus was pale. He never spoke of his love for Lily to anybody except Dumbledore and more recently, his mother. At least not whilst alive, anyway.

"Well…supposing I was…" he said in an attempt to sound theoretical, "what makes you think Lily feels that way toward me?" He paused before adding pitifully; "I'm no James Potter."

Quincey looked at his best friend as if he were asking what two plus two was.

"One: Lily will likely never be interested in Potter, especially after he treated you. Love isn't all looks, my dad isn't exactly a looker, but Mum loves him for who he is. Two: I feel she likes you too, because of how her eyes sparkle whenever you show up. She doesn't look that happy even around her girlfriends, even less Potter."

Severus tried and only just succeeded to suppress the smile of joy from crossing his lips.

"Well, on the bright side, at least I will likely never have to vomit at the sight of my best friend snogging my worst enemy." he said light-heartedly.

Quincey's smirk of knowing dropped.

"He isn't your worst enemy anymore. You said you'd give him a chance."

Severus felt ashamed to make his friend worry. Old habits died hard, and he was still struggling with the concept of calling James Potter a friend. Although, to his surprise, the first month of term had come to its end today, and James never tried to upset him once. Not so much as a tease, or a degrading smirk. And certainly, no hexes whilst his back was turned.

Sirius was trying to get him involved in their social group more often. James somehow had the tact to realize that it was too soon to try and initiate Severus into their close band of comradery, assuming there would ever be a suitable time.

Severus snapped out of his thoughts and quickly recovered himself.

"Sorry, Quincey. You're right. I just find it hard to believe that Potter could change his demeanour towards me."

"You still confuse me about that." said Quincey. "When you say that, you sound like he's tormented you for years, not a couple of months."

Severus sighed, hating to lie.

"No, I just…we came to hate each other almost instantly. I had such a foreboding that day that we would be enemies forever."

Quincey could understand that. He just wished Severus would fully bury the hatchet. Despite saving James and Sirius' lives, he still felt the need to bear a strong hatred for them. He didn't want Severus' hate to cause him any pain later.

Severus had already seen through this possibility, but as he earlier thought, old habits die hard. He honestly was unsure if he could ever forgive James and Sirius' original counterparts. As much as James showed remorse and care for him, even provided testimony that he deserved a second chance, Severus could not let go of the fact that he admitted that he still would have taken Lily away from him, and as much as she regretted hurting him, Lily never regretted her marriage to James. He would always be able to forgive Lily, but he just didn't have the same capacity towards James Potter and Sirius Black. This new friendship development would take time, and somehow, he needed to ensure that Lily and Quincey understood that.

In Heaven, James and Lily were watching over Severus' universe, and over Harry's. Harry's family life remained happy and cheerful, although Harry was growing concerned over Dark creatures and wizards being rather mysterious and suspicious as of late. But no threat was posed towards him, Ginny, their children, nor any of their friends and extended family.

But Lily and James were worried about Severus. His new life had to revisit his past one, when he was confronted by Dumbledore, and now they feared his ongoing hatred for James and Sirius, whom also looked in on him and Harry now and then, was growing too strong for him to maintain his secret from his friends.

"I wish he didn't still hate me." sighed James.

"Can't say I blame him." said Lily. "Albus told us after he died. When we asked if he believed Sev could change and move on after the War was over, he shook his head, then reiterated those words he said to Harry after Sirius died: 'Sometimes the wounds run too deep for the healing.' He clearly didn't believe that he could ever let go of his hatred for you after you won my heart in his place."

"But he didn't know of the chance that Severus could start over. I feel that Severus is letting the hate and pain of his old life affect his chances of gaining happiness in this new one." replied James with concern.

"You're absolutely right." said Lily affirmatively. "But Severus was never one to let things go. His wounds are still too deep. He had to endure the old you all over again too. If it hadn't been for the alterations of this universe, he would still be being bullied by this new version of you. It certainly made me gleeful to see the tables turned in that universe."

James noted Lily's ironic tone, and knew she still hadn't completely let go of James and Sirius keeping that particular secret from her for all those years.

As if on cue on the very thought of him, Sirius Black appeared in their home.

"Knock, knock." he said smugly.

"Will you ever learn to knock?" asked Lily exasperatedly.

She and Sirius never fully saw eye to eye after their deaths. She had not only learned of how Sirius tried to kill Severus after her death, but had also witnessed him continue to harass Severus after escaping Azkaban. Although Severus gave back as much as he received, there were some things that Sirius did to him that Lily abhorred, including banging his head repeatedly whilst levitating him out of the Shrieking Shack. Although Sirius appreciated Severus' true loyalties and the reasons why, he still never forgave him for 'getting him killed.' To Sirius' mind, if Severus hadn't have goaded him for being useless to the Order due to being in hiding, he might not have thrown caution to the wind and gone to save Harry and his friends, resulting in his death. James and Lily both knew Sirius would have taken the risk regardless, as he loved Harry like a son, but the rogue dog still maintained his coldness to Severus, keen to have a reason to always dislike him. It was clear to Lily since then that James matured much more than Sirius ever did, and that Sirius likely still didn't regret his actions against her best friend.

James could see that Lily still held some coldness for Sirius, and thought that she might have cheered Severus up if she had told him that though she still loved James, she was angry with him for all those lies, albeit now forgiven, and that she was by no means as close a friend to Sirius anymore. If anything, she only tolerated his presence for James' sake, and one day, Harry's. Although he hoped that she would forgive Sirius by the time Harry's death came.

"Why would I knock?" asked Sirius boisterously. "I'm always welcome in the home of my favourite couple!"

James could see that Sirius was being cheeky and was therefore on thin ice.

"Looking in on Harry?" asked Sirius.

"Just did." said Lily. "Currently looking in on Sev." She said that last sentence stiffly and firmly.

"What you wanna check on Snivy for?" asked Sirius. "He's got his second chance, if he plays his cards right with the other you, he may not want anything to do with you anymore."

"PADFOOT!" snapped James warningly.

Lily looked mutinous.

"Alright, alright!" said Sirius raising his hands in the air. "Merlin, what's the big deal? He gets his happy ending, you get to watch him and Harry be happy and you and James are still together in Paradise."

James knew Sirius was trying to relieve the tension he caused, but was clearly not succeeding.

"He's still my best friend! I won't forget him…even if he does one day forget me. I'll be sure to remind him when he dies again!" She said that with a hint of cheekiness. The same sort of cheekiness that the Marauders had rubbed off on her.

James guided Sirius away into the kitchen, which automatically conjured up some delicious looking sandwiches. Heaven was full of privileges.

Lily was left alone in peace, watching over Severus as he and his friends celebrated the new Lily's birthday in the Great Hall.

"I hope you and she become a couple, Sev." she said. "But please, don't let the past destroy your future all over again."

Lily was saddened at that possibility. Severus got his second chance, but that was all it was…a chance. There was no guarantee.

"I wish there was something I could do to help you succeed, Sev." she murmured. Then another thought struck her, which gave her more inclination for upset.

An hour later, Sirius bade farewell to James, as he was due back to help his heavenly wife, Marlene Black with…well, nothing. But she did want him back as they enjoyed each other's company.

As James waved off his best friend, agreeing to meet him at Remus and Tonks' house tomorrow, he returned to Lily, whom seemed to be deep in thought.

"You alright, my little Lily?" he asked affectionately, trying to restore the smile to her face.

"I've been thinking about Sev's tasks ahead." she said, but with a small smile at her husband's loving words.

"What about them?" asked James.

He didn't begrudge Lily for thinking about her best friend a lot of the time. Why shouldn't she? He spent many a day in the company of his two best friends and often spoke of them too. Lily didn't mind that, but still drew the line with Sirius. She was able to forgive Remus, but was still annoyed that he never divulged to her the lies that James told. It didn't surprise her though. Remus never did anything against his friends in life.

"I just wish that I could help him somehow." said Lily. "I want to remind him that the past needs to stay in the past, despite Albus' interference. And I want to make sure he doesn't drag Severus into the life of a spy again. And I want to make sure he does get his happy ending. And…I want to try and tell him the secrets of all those Horcruxes."

James understood. He and his wife had watched over Harry's quest in securing all the Horcruxes. They didn't know about the ring, as they didn't watch Dumbledore when he found it, but they knew that the diary had been entrusted to the Malfoys, the Hufflepuff cup with the Lestranges, albeit later in life. They didn't know where it was during the First Wizarding War. They knew that the Ravenclaw diadem was in the Room of Requirement, and they knew that one day, Voldemort would use Regulus Black and Kreacher to hide Slytherin's locket in the cave near his orphanage.

"I wish we could help him too, Lils." he said softly. "But I really don't see what we can do. The Higher Ones and Albus said already that he had no guarantee. We can only hope for the best."

Lily looked defiant.

"I will find a way to help him somehow. I may not have been the best friend he needed in life. But I will be the best friend I can be in death! I will do whatever I must to help Sev achieve the life he deserves! You'll see if I don't!"

James didn't argue the matter. Once Lily made up her mind, wild flying horses wouldn't stop her. He was cynical inside, but allowed his loyalty to be the best husband he could be to her in death, as he had failed to honestly be in life, to override his personal misgivings and doubts.

"I'm sure that if anyone can find a way, it's you, Lily." he said, pulling her to him in a loving embrace, in hopes of soothing her fiery spirit.

Lily melted into the hug, but deep down, she was not nearly as confident as she made herself out to be. And she wanted James' support.

But somehow, sometime, she would make up for all she did wrong to Severus. Just as he had done for her in his past life. She would help him achieve the life he had always wanted.

"I promise, Sev." she whispered after James released her from their embrace.

 **(And that's Chapter 21 finished. And I have to say, I HATE writing Jily scenes. But for the sake of the story, I'll persist. Hope you're all enjoying the story. More coming soon! Please review, any feedback is welcome, provided it's polite and not rude and cynical! Just some friendly advice will suffice! Thank you!)**


	22. Chapter 22: The First Horcrux

**Chapter 22: The First Horcrux**

The term was passing by swiftly. January became February, wherein Valentine's Day came. Most students in the first year showed no interest in the romantic date of the yearly calendar, though Severus wished he could begin to express his love for Lily. Unbeknown to him, she had considered celebrating Valentine's Day with him discreetly, but ultimately chose not to. Frank and Alice on the other hand, showed great interest and went to Hogsmeade to celebrate their first year of dating. All the girls in their social group and Lily's were dying to hear how it went in the end. It was a romantic success, needless to say.

Severus was glad the pair were happy, and was still determined to save them from the torture and subsequent insanity they were subjected to later in life. Luckily, with Dumbledore in on his secrets, that task would become more possible to ascertain and accomplish. At least telling Dumbledore relieved some stress, he thought.

February then turned to March, and the flowers began to bud once more, and the trees of the Forbidden Forest became less intimidating with the pretty green buddings sprouting on its upper surface. The rains came in torrents, as in March, it came in like a lion, and out again like a tiger. April provided much more promise to sunshine. The sun was beginning to make its impact, and Madam Pomfrey and Professor Slughorn were preparing potions that would help the students who suffered hay fever.

It was the last week of April, and Severus and Lily were really getting into their revision, until they were both fairly certain that they would get top marks all round, with the possible exception of History for Magic. They were having breakfast whilst reading their final chapter on their History of Magic texts, when Quincey and Mary joined them. After Dumbledore's meeting with him, on top of most of Hogwarts respecting him ever since saving James and Sirius, Severus had no hesitation of sitting at the Gryffindor table with Lily, and Quincey followed his lead. But the new trend had so far not caught on.

Severus was interrupted by Mary.

"Have you guys noticed that Professor Dumbledore seems to be at the teachers' table less and less now?"

Severus looked and saw for the fourth day in a row, Dumbledore was absent. And it was only for that week alone. Ever since their meeting, Dumbledore had began playing absentee and nobody provided a reason why, but people like Frank and Alice found it most peculiar.

Severus was finding it safe to assume that Dumbledore was travelling, searching for the Horcruxes. He now understood what the Headmaster was doing during Harry's sixth year. He could only hope he had succeeded back then. After all, he did find one: the ring.

"Yeah, it is strange." said Lily. "The prefects said they found it annoying, as they wanted to ask him about some potential new rules concerning students on the staircases."

Severus and Quincey simply shrugged.

"I wonder if he's ill." said Mary.

"For a mixed space of three months?" asked Lily doubtfully.

"Well, he is getting on." said Quincey.

"I guess." conceded Lily.

Severus had no input. He acted disinterested as he dipped some tiger bread into his egg.

The spring air was getting fresher and more enchanted with pollen and the aroma of lilies and sunflowers across the grounds. Even Hagrid had begun planting again, and his vegetables in his gardens were, unsurprisingly, growing much larger than the common crops would. The four friends sat near the lake. Although he seemed quite at peace with his friends here, Severus was still haunted by his 'worst memory' and what he had lost at this spot.

Talking of the devil, James appeared with Peter in tow. The latter looked forlorn. He was dragging behind as if he didn't belong. Severus saw this and pondered. Maybe Peter betrayed his friends to Voldemort because he wasn't as strong or as popular as the rest of the Marauders and being treated like a lackey had to be bad enough in the past lifetime, but to be below even Severus Prince, whom used to be their favourite victim, it had to make Peter feel much worse and unwanted. And even now, James couldn't see what he was turning the ratty student into.

I need to find a way to keep him out of things, should Dumbledore and I fail, Severus thought. He had to help Peter get more friends or prove himself to be good enough for his current friends.

Severus wondered if he should talk to both James and Peter respectively, and hopefully prolong the friendship to the extent that Peter would never dream of abandoning James and betraying him to Voldemort.

James sat beside Severus and Lily. Severus was fuming, but James wasn't really paying much attention to Lily. He greeted her in a friendly enough way, but was, by no means, acting flirtatious at all.

"How's your day, guys?" he asked.

"Quietly." said Severus with a sarcastic tone. Lily frowned. As did Quincey.

Mary cleared the tenseness by striking conversation. But nevertheless, Severus was now being frowned upon by his two best friends, and he tried his best to divert it by playing the role of an aspiring friend by engaging conversation with Peter, whom was generally being ignored. This seemed to appease Lily and Quincey, but they still wished he would act the same way around James.

Fortunately for Severus, Sirius and Remus were working in the library, with Remus helping Sirius revise. So, he didn't have to keep up appearances with Sirius, though Remus might have been a more sympathetic individual than Quincey and Lily were being.

After another hour of studying and pleasant conversation, the six first-years made their way back to the castle for lunch, and the result was Peter starting to come round to Severus as a friend, especially as the latter had been the only one to pay the boy any attention. He even asked about his home life, and learned a lot, such as both their fathers being dead, and their mothers were both now very doting to their sons. Although Peter still hadn't apologised to Severus, it was a start. A positive one at that.

As the group sat at the table for lunch, Remus joined them.

"Where's Sirius?" asked James.

"He's getting some recommended books." replied Remus.

"Recommended by?"

"Me."

"And just how many do you think he'll need?"

"About ten."

"Ten?!" spluttered James. "He'll be lucky not to fall over backwards getting that many books back to the dormitory."

Peter couldn't help but laugh at James' incredulous expression, and somehow, neither could Severus. Remus and Lily noticed and enjoyed that especially.

As the laughter died down, and the group dug into their luncheon, Lucius Malfoy suddenly intercepted a second year Hufflepuff student and snatched something out of his hand.

"Oi!" cried the student. "That's not for you. Professor Dumbledore asked me to give it to Severus Prince!"

Severus quickly rose from his seat, followed by James and Quincey.

"Sev!" warned Lily. But Severus could not take the risk of Malfoy reading something vital.

Hand it over, Malfoy!" Severus still felt hurt that he had to treat his old friend like the enemy, as their views were now heavily opposed, but he was strict with himself nonetheless.

"And should I refuse?" sneered Malfoy. "As a prefect, it is my job to ensure this little brat isn't disguising this note as a cruel joke towards you, Prince."

"You know as well as I that a Hufflepuff would never do that. And besides, I am expecting that note." snapped Severus.

"Oh?" retorted Malfoy. "And what would Dumbledore be writing to a simple first-year Half Blood brat such as yourself for?"

James jerked past Severus and attempted to jinx Malfoy, but it was deflected and Malfoy Stunned the over-eager Gryffindor.

Remus and Peter swiftly rose. "Leave them alone!" yelled Remus.

"Oh, a pack of annoying little squeaky pests!" laughed Malfoy, and he fired yet another Stunning spell at Remus, who too, fell to the floor.

By now, teachers were beginning to see that something was amiss. Malfoy was clearly unafraid of losing points and getting into trouble. As a prefect, he was in perfect position to restore any points he lost by randomly giving points to his dormmates and fellow Slytherins.

As Professors Flitwick and McGonagall began to pace to the scene, however, Peter saw Remus fall with James and saw red. His face even turned purple with rage and to Severus, Lily, Quincey and Mary's utter surprise, he launched himself on Malfoy, punching his chest and biting his arm in blind fury.

"YOW! REMOVE YOURSELF FROM ME, YOU BLOOD TRAITOR RAT!" seethed Malfoy, and he threw Peter off. "I'll-"

"You'll do nothing, Mr Malfoy!" snapped McGonagall. "Never have I beheld such a disgraceful display of hooliganism. You, a prefect, Stunning and assaulting first-years. And by the looks of it…" She snatched the note from his hand. "…stealing something that isn't yours! And in the Great Hall, for all to see, I might add! Fifty points will be taken from Slytherin House, and you will be sent to the Headmaster and to Professor Slughorn. Together, they can decide your appropriate punishment."

Lucius Malfoy snarled at the Deputy Headmistress. Severus had never known such rebellion, particularly directed at so powerfully strict a witch as Minerva McGonagall.

McGonagall seemed unfazed and released the two boys on the floor from their dazed slumber.

"As for you, Mr Pettigrew. I understand that you were trying to defend your friends, but I will not tolerate you attempting to sink to the level of those instigating confliction. Ten points will be taken from Gryffindor." she said sternly.

Judging by a gleam in her eye, Severus had a feeling that a partial reason that McGonagall said this to Peter was to ensure that James and Remus knew what he had done for his friends. And, sure enough, James and Remus looked up at Peter with surprise. Peter blanched but nodded meekly.

"Yes, Professor." he murmured, abashed.

"Here you go, Mr Prince." concluded McGonagall, before ordering Malfoy out of the Hall, signalling for Slughorn to follow, whom was sitting quite unconcerned at the main table.

Everybody congratulated Peter's show of bravery, especially James.

"Never thought you had it in you, Peter!" he praised, clapping his friend's back, leaving Peter feeling and looking overjoyed that he was beginning to prove himself.

Once he sat down again, Severus pocketed the note.

"What is it for, Sev?" asked Lily.

"Dumbledore considered helping me obtain some new books for the library to help with Potions." lied Severus reflexively.

"Ugh, the lengths a Slytherin will go to just to cause everybody else some trouble." fumed Mary.

"Mary!" hissed Lily.

Mary was abashed when she realized her mistake.

"Oh, um, sorry, Severus. I forgot." she said.

"You know…" said Quincey thoughtfully, "…maybe we should try and befriend a Slytherin."

"What?" Everybody was surprised. Even Lily and Severus.

"Well, if we made some friends in that House, maybe, just maybe we could improve the reputation of it. I mean, surely not every Slytherin in this year will want to be a Dark wizard. I mean, You Know Who, that everybody talks about, he isn't fully at power at the moment, is he? He's only gathering more followers at the moment, but surely the more innocent and new Slytherins can't all want to be his lackeys?"

It was a fair point. Severus knew that this was true. Back when he was the Head of Slytherin House in his old life, he had to console many students about how they were treated automatically as wannabe Death Eaters, just because they bore the green and silver Snake emblem on their robes. It was times like those that he was sure he was on the right side, not just because of Lily's death, but because he was doing what was right, what she had always wanted him to be doing. Being her best friend, being a good man. Although he couldn't maintain his hatred for Harry and to a lesser extent, Hermione and Neville, Severus did know that the new generation needed a better world, and under Dumbledore's thumb, he ensured that it happened. He only hoped this could be the case again, albeit without so many deaths.

"I think it's a decent idea, but unlikely." piped up Remus.

"I bet I know who we could make a start with, if we fail to progress this year." said Severus.

"Who?" asked James.

"Sirius' brother, Regulus." said Severus.

"But what makes you think Regulus will be in Slytherin?" asked Mary.

"Puh-lease!" snorted James. "Even Sirius believes that will be the case."

"It's true." added Remus. "He's always saying that Regulus is the favourite son, and that he is always out to make his parents proud. The Blacks are highly prejudiced, like the Malfoys. Sirius reckons he will lose his brother to Slytherin and its prejudiced ways. He does really hope he will rebel and be a Gryffindor, or even a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, but he has high doubts."

"Well, if we are right, and he is going to be Sorted into Slytherin, we can persuade him to at least befriend us through Sirius. Give him an alternative option of friends outside any Death Eater recruiters." said Severus.

"I wonder what Siri will think of this idea." wondered James.

"We'll run it by him tonight in the common room?" suggested Remus.

"Deal." added Peter.

And, so it was arranged. Lily and Mary offered to help too, but James pointed out that Sirius was closer to James and Remus, and had great respect for Severus, so they were confident that nothing would go amiss with the idea. Severus, Lily, Mary and Quincey would learn the results by the morning.

After lunch, Severus made an excuse that he needed to fetch a quill before joining the group in the library for a study session. He separated from the group and slipped into one of the empty Potions classrooms.

Unfolding the note, Severus smoothed it out and read its contents:

 _Dear Severus,_

 _I am currently in possession of the first item you wished for. As requested, I kept it as clean and undisturbed as possible._

 _Come and collect it from my office tonight. I shall ask Professor Flitwick to escort you._

 _Yours,_

 _Professor A.P.W.B. Dumbledore_

Severus could barely suppress a whoop of triumph. Judging by the note, Dumbledore had found the Gaunt ring, and was unharmed by Voldemort's deadly curse. Now, all that was left to do was to destroy it, just as Dumbledore had done before.

That evening, Severus was collected by Professor Flitwick on the way to the dormitory. He still looked puzzled as to what Dumbledore could possibly want with the first-year for a second time. It had been months, but it still seemed odd that he would want to see Severus for no apparent reason. He certainly wasn't in any trouble as the boy was a comparatively decent minded and respectable student.

Flitwick spoke the password to the gargoyle and left Severus to step onto the spiral staircase. Severus knocked politely, as from a distance, he heard Flitwick's light footsteps pace away. Dumbledore gave the affirmative to enter, and Severus walked in with anticipation.

"Hello, sir." he said with a childish keenness about him.

"Good evening, Severus." said the triumphant Headmaster. "I believe you wanted me to find this."

Unwrapping what appeared to be six handkerchiefs, clean and coloured lavender, Dumbledore revealed the ring to Severus.

"That's it!" yelled Severus delightedly.

"I thought as much, considering it has that particular item embedded in it. It has a marking that proves with certainty that it is the Horcrux we are after." approved Dumbledore.

"So, all that we need do now is destroy it. Is the sword here?" asked Severus.

"It is. Carefully preserved." replied Dumbledore, using a charm to bring the sword to his hand. He looked positively noble and powerful clutching Gryffindor's sword in his undamaged and whole hand.

"What are we waiting for?" asked Severus.

Dumbledore did suddenly look hesitant. "I just don't seem able to damage it. I fear I will damage it."

"Damage it?" snapped Severus indignantly. "Of course, you'll damage it! That's the whole idea!"

"No, you don't understand, Mr Prince." explained Dumbledore. "The stone is what I do not wish to damage, not the ring."

"What's so special about that stone?" asked Severus. He suddenly wondered if the stone was somehow the reason Dumbledore was foolish enough to touch and wear the ring in the first lifetime.

"It is no ordinary stone." said Dumbledore cautiously. "For the moment, let's leave it at that."

Severus was furious. "I'm telling you everything about myself and my past. I think the least you can do is tell me what that stone has gotten you as good as killed from the inside last time! I am not a simpleton, Albus!"

"Professor Dumbledore." replied the Headmaster calmly.

"Fine!"

"I know it is frustrating, Severus." said Dumbledore soothingly. "But that stone could be about as dangerous as the Horcrux's curse. And for the time being, I want its secrets contained."

"Who am I going to tell?" argued Severus.

Dumbledore saw his point.

"I will try and destroy this ring, and when it is gone, when I have examined the stone itself more carefully, I promise I will let you in on the secret. But until then, please trust me." he said softly.

Severus conceded reluctantly. "Very well."

Dumbledore readied both hands over the sword's handle, and lifted it strongly over his head, poised to strike the ring.

"Do it!" encouraged Severus.

Dumbledore inhaled, and plunged the sword down on the ring.

Nothing happened. The ring was undamaged.

"What?" cried Severus.

"It didn't work."

"Try again, sir!"

Dumbledore did try again, twice. But no matter which angle, and how much speed and velocity he manoeuvred onto the ring, it was no good. The Horcrux wouldn't break.

"Why?! Why isn't this working? It worked when your past self used the sword." groaned Severus.

"I wonder if it's because the sword is different to its past version?" pondered Dumbledore.

"What do you mean?" asked Severus.

"Think this through, and carefully, Mr Prince." said Dumbledore seriously. "In the other world, was the sword used in any battle? Did it absorb anything? This sword was goblin-made. It takes what makes it stronger. Was it used at all between the alternate version of today and the day in the future that my past self attacked this Horcrux?"

Severus thought for a moment and then it came to him.

"Yes." he said suddenly. "Harry Potter used the sword to kill the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. Its venom must have been absorbed by the sword. Basilisk venom must be able to destroy Horcruxes…and come to think of it, the Potter boy used a fang from the snake to destroy a diary that had a memory of Voldemort in it."

"A diary? With a living memory in it? No, a memory cannot take on sentience and wicked impulse by itself…it must have been a part of Voldemort's soul. This diary you mentioned must be another Horcrux!" Dumbledore beamed with this new breakthrough.

Severus was glad too. But-

"We still can't destroy the ring though." he said morosely. "Without any Basilisk venom, we cannot hope to penetrate this thing."

"Do you know of any other ways to destroying Horcruxes?" asked Dumbledore.

"No, you only asked me to send the sword to Potter. I assumed since my rebirth that the sword was the only way." said Severus dimly.

"Problematic." sighed Dumbledore. "And we can't hope to battle this Basilisk, as nobody here at Hogwarts can speak Parseltongue to open that Chamber. Where is it, anyway?"

Severus went on to explain how Harry Potter came to find the Chamber of Secrets in his second year at Hogwarts in the abandoned girls' bathroom where Moaning Myrtle resides.

"No wonder the poor girl died so soon and in that particular spot." frowned Dumbledore. "I hope we can truly avenge her, so I can feel that she is at peace."

"Well, she isn't." sighed Severus. "She's a ghost."

"That may be the case in your old world, Severus." said Dumbledore. "But no such ghost came to be that day here."

Severus smiled faintly. Myrtle chose to move On to Heaven in this universe. And he suddenly remembered the Higher Ones mentioning that the old Myrtle would move On in a century's time.

"Well." sighed Dumbledore. "There's nothing more we can do tonight. I will endeavour to find an alternative way to destroy Horcruxes, and in the meantime, I'll search for that diary too."

"May I be excused then, sir?" asked Severus sadly.

"Yes, you may, Mr Prince." said Dumbledore. "But do not let negative emotions dim your ambitions. It does not bode well to give up after the first obstacle."

Severus bowed his head and understood, before quietly leaving Dumbledore in his office, his eyes swiftly returning to the stone in the ring.

"Ariana." he murmured.

 **(And so here is Chapter 22! Hope you all like it. I'm hoping to update again this week, so read fast! Please review, thank you!)**


	23. Chapter 23: The Resurrection Stone

**Chapter 23: The Resurrection Stone**

After the failure of destroying the ring Horcrux, Severus had taken on a more dismal demeanour around his friends. He stuck to his studies, spoke as little as possible, and overall was causing Lily and the others strong concern. Even James and Sirius showed their worries.

"Is someone giving you a hard time, Severus?" asked James.

"If it's a bunch of Slytherins, like that Malfoy, we'll sort 'em." added Sirius confidently.

"No. Nobody is harassing me." said Severus civilly, but impatiently.

James and Sirius knew that he was still showing reluctance to be friends, but they decided to give him all the time he needed, as a small return of the favour for saving them.

Lily and Quincey showed no sign of getting the problem out of Severus. No matter how many times they asked what was wrong, or suggested ways to cheer him up, nothing had any effect.

Eventually, after a week, Severus found himself beginning to rise in spirits. To Lily and their friends, it seemed that their hounding him to cheer up had finally worked, but really it was because Severus had received another note from an owl at breakfast. It was concealed this time in an envelope, and Severus realized that McGonagall must have informed Dumbledore of how his previous correspondence was nearly intercepted by Malfoy.

"Finally, some sense." he murmured to himself.

Severus went to a private room once again to open the envelope and note. He knew it wasn't a letter from Eileen or his grandparents, as they had all sent him one the previous day, saying that Septimus' hearing was due to begin on the first week of May. So, with great anticipation, Severus unfolded the note and read its contents.

 _Dear Severus,_

 _I have succeeded in freeing one item from the other. No permanent damage was done, to either object or to my good self._

 _Meet me in my office tonight, and I shall keep my promise._

 _Yours,_

 _Professor A.P.W.B. Dumbledore_

Severus frowned. Did Dumbledore waste a whole week prising the stone from the ring? He was supposed to be finding ways to destroy the ring, that and searching for the diary of Tom Riddle.

"I hope this stone of his is worth wasting time like this." he fumed.

Later, in Herbology, Lily saw that although Severus looked cross about something, his happier demeanour was back in place.

"Are you going to tell me what's been up with you lately?" asked Lily as they partnered together to clip a lively new plant.

"I just found that two of my items that I asked Dumbledore for were bound together by some odd magic misuse. He said he'd have it sorted in a day, but I only got notification of his success today. I was just a little upset that he was taking so long." he said.

"Hm, weird that Dumbledore couldn't do it sooner. I see why that would upset you. You reckon he took his time on purpose?"

"Maybe." said Severus. "He does favour his own House after all." He frowned, still believing this whole-heartedly. He forgot to speak to him about this issue in the excitement of the previous meeting.

Lily patted his back. "He'll learn soon enough that you're as good a student as any Gryffindor. Except for me, of course." she added with an innocent pitch.

Severus shoved her playfully, which resulted in their rather lively Devilish Dandelion swatting them with its sharp leaf after Lily nearly clipped its stem off in the shove. Sprout saw this and deducted ten points from Ravenclaw.

Severus didn't mind. He and Lily were cheerful again, and he was sure that despite Dumbledore's slow approach and the inability to destroy the Horcrux, things were still progressing quicker than he had originally imagined.

After dinner that evening, with Severus consuming a splendid beef stew with a fruit salad following, Professor McGonagall anonymously approached him and whispered passing him: "Meet me on the second floor."

Severus was surprised, but casually diverted from Quincey on the way to the Ravenclaw tower.

"Just gonna rush to the library. See if I can find a book. See you in the common room." he said quickly.

Quincey shrugged and went on with the second year he and Severus befriended at the welcoming feast, Nora Waynefleet.

Severus found McGonagall waiting for him. "Mr Prince, Professor Dumbledore wishes for me to take you to his office."

"Why couldn't Professor Flitwick escort me, Professor?" asked Severus.

"I believe Professor Flitwick is not supposed to be in the know about this meeting, hence this anonymous meeting with me." replied McGonagall with a suspicious tone.

Severus shrugged, feigning the look of obliviousness, appeasing McGonagall's frown slightly.

They reached the gargoyle, and McGonagall spoke the password: "Strawberry lollies."

Severus stepped onto the staircase, thanked McGonagall and knocked.

"Enter."

Severus entered the room and found Dumbledore petting Fawkes softly and affectionately. The ring was wrapped in its half a dozen handkerchiefs, but a stone, clearly the one that intrigued the Headmaster so, was perched on the centre of the desk.

"Hello, Mr Prince. Please be seated." Severus suddenly noticed something about Dumbledore. He looked like he had lost several decades. As cheerful as the Headmaster often looked, there was undeniably something about him that lost some…shadows.

"Are you…alright, Professor?" he asked.

"How observant you are, Severus." smiled Dumbledore. "I can safely say that I am more than alright."

"If you say so, sir." said Severus. He was beginning to feel nervous, more for the Headmaster than about him.

"Indeed." went on Dumbledore cheerfully. "I have removed this object from the ring, and it took a whole week to accomplish, but it was still worth it to avoid permanent injury and I believe, in the long run of our situation."

Severus frowned disbelievingly.

"How can a stone help us defeat Voldemort, sir?" he asked cynically.

Dumbledore chortled softly as Fawkes ruffled his feathers.

"Always the critic and realist, eh, Severus?" he said. "Well, you see, this stone is possibly one of the most important objects in this mission of ours."

"How?" snapped Severus impatiently. "It's just a stone, a pitifully small one at that. What are we gonna do with it? Chuck it at Voldemort and see what happens?"

Dumbledore couldn't help chuckling in a good-natured way.

"Not at all, Severus." said Dumbledore. "Besides, even if we gave the stone to Voldemort, I doubt anyone would come to him. He never loved in his entire life. And nobody showed any love for him, except perhaps his mother, for a first few brief moments." He sounded regretful, perhaps even piteous.

"You feel sorry for that murderous scum?" puzzled Severus.

"More his mother." sighed Dumbledore. "The agony of carrying a replica of the man she loved, whom abandoned her during the pregnancy, then releasing him from her loins, only to die, likely now aware that she carried such a wicked being. I believe that to be worthy of feeling sorry for somebody."

"But what does seeing someone you love have to do with this stone?" asked Severus.

"This is none other than…the Resurrection Stone, Mr Prince." declared Dumbledore.

Severus frowned. He had never heard of it.

"In your previous life, Severus, Voldemort wanted my wand, did he not? He claimed it to be the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in all creation, isn't that so?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes." replied Severus.

"Well, the Wand and this Stone were actually derived from a legendary children's story for witches and wizards. The story was called _The Tale of the Three Brothers_." explained the Headmaster. "Death was cheated by three brothers, and Death gave them each a reward. One brother asked for a wand with power beyond compare, and he was given it. The brother boasted of his invincibility, but then he had the Wand stolen from him, and was killed by the thief, so Death took him after all."

Severus was puzzled but interested. As a child in both lives, his mother never kept wizarding children's books around, as his father would have destroyed them and flipped out on the both of them for good measure.

"The third of the brothers asked for a way to pass on from that bridge without Death being able to find him. So reluctantly, Death gave the third brother his own Cloak of Invisibility. He never was able to find the brother, until the day he willingly chose for his life to end, giving the Cloak to his son, and greeted Death as an old friend, and they departed life as equals."

Thoughts were swarming through Severus' head. Could it be? But then he had another thought.

"What did the second brother ask for? A stone?"

"The second brother was prideful, and not as wise as the third brother. He had decided to cheat Death further by asking for a way to bring loved ones back from the dead. So, Death gave him a stone…later known as the Resurrection Stone." went on Dumbledore. "The brother revived the woman he had hoped to marry before she died an untimely death. But she wasn't whole and did not belong in the world he was keeping her in, so the brother hanged himself to join her in the Afterlife, so Death took that brother after all as well."

Severus froze looking down at the Stone.

"I knew the Elder Wand was real, as Voldemort and Ollivander had shown me the evidence…but that stone…it cannot be so."

"I assure you it is." smiled Dumbledore. "I have experienced the effects myself."

"What?" murmured Severus.

"I used the Stone for myself." said Dumbledore. "I met those I loved who are dead last night. It was quite…the liberating experience."

Severus now understood why Dumbledore looked so, to use his word, liberated. He remembered Rita Skeeter's book on Dumbledore's life before becoming Headmaster. He learned of how Dumbledore neglected his sister in favour of gaining glory and fame with the Dark Wizard, Gellert Grindelwald. And he learned of how Ariana died. It was never revealed how, but Severus now wondered if Dumbledore inadvertently played a role in her death, and spent his life trying to atone, just as he himself had done for his role in Lily's death.

But then-

"You never showed me."

"Pardon, Mr Prince?" asked Dumbledore.

"You had that ring, and that stone in your office for months after destroying the ring. You could have told me about it, allowed me to see Lily again at any time. But instead, you felt I was not trustworthy enough. Not worthy of knowing whether or not the love of my life could have ever forgiven me! And you had intended for me to survive that night. To live up to an old age! I would have spent decades, maybe a century never knowing, always wondering, always living in fear that she would hate me when my time came! YOU'RE EVIL!"

Severus made to bolt out of the office, maybe even destroy some of Dumbledore's possessions on his way out, but then Dumbledore locked the door with the Elder Wand.

"That wasn't me." said Dumbledore quietly and pitifully. "That Albus Dumbledore made many mistakes, just as I have done, but he and he alone made the mistakes concerning you. I have not."

"You would have done if I hadn't been caught out." sneered Severus. "Don't deny it."

"I truly do not know." said Dumbledore. "Considering that you are not a Slytherin and have therefore no intentions on becoming a Death Eater, I may have still treated you differently."

"And that!" snapped Severus. "Is that why your other version allowed the Marauders to torment me for all those years? Is that why you never showed me the slightest care back then? Is that why you still could not trust me for all those years in your service? Because I was a Slytherin?!"

Dumbledore frowned in confusion.

"NOT ALL SLYTHERINS ARE DESTINED TO GO BAD! LOOK AT PROFESSOR SLUGHORN! LOOK AT _ME_ NOW!" bellowed Severus.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with shame.

Severus went on. "Slytherin may have been the House Voldemort was raised in. It may have been named after the more prejudiced and notorious of the four founders of Hogwarts, but that should not define all those young and innocent students who are instantly rejected in society because they are ambitious and have the potential to be cunning! There is no guarantee that they want to be Death Eaters, or bad wizards automatically because of that. I will admit that some are influenced by their family's ancient views, like the Malfoys, the Mulciber and the Averys. But there are still those who are also pushed to the Dark side by the prejudice that Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and _you_ inflict upon them. They end up feeling that the Dark side, the Purist way is the only option they have. And I should know…I experienced that first hand."

Severus' eyes released tears welling up since he first began to lose his temper. He slid down against the door he could not escape from. All he could hope for at this juncture, was that Dumbledore would now see some sense.

Dumbledore rose sadly from his seat, ignoring all the portraits' reactions of: "Well, really!", "Flaming cheek of that boy!" and Phineas Nigellus' "Well said. A true Slytherin's resourceful insight. Though, a little misled in the belief that the purity of blood is not an issue."

Dumbledore knelt to the sobbing child, really a sobbing man before him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, rubbing it affectionately.

"I am sorry, Mr Prince." he said. "I see now that although you died at a young age and have made many mistakes in your life before…you have learned from those mistakes more than I ever did in either. You're absolutely right. I spent so much time mulling over the facts of how Voldemort was a Slytherin, his similarities to his predecessor, Salazar Slytherin…and how he was proud of Slytherin's views, that I was blind to all those who needed me, those whose lives I have likely turned to the worse. I was too blind to realize that I was fuelling Voldemort's resources, and lessening the reputation of Slytherin House even further. I promise you now, Severus Prince, that I will endeavour to change things for the better for all those in Slytherin House in future. And I again say, for both myself and for my predecessor, that I am so sorry for what that prejudice turned you into."

Severus looked up from his hands, his bloodshot eyes gazing into Dumbledore's pearly blue ones, as if searching for truth behind his words.

"And if you want proof that I will be a better Headmaster than my predecessor, then take this."

Dumbledore slipped something into Severus' hand. Opening out his palm, Severus saw that he was holding the Resurrection Stone.

"I'll give you a private moment to reacquaint with your best friend. You can tell her of your new adventures earlier than you realized." said Dumbledore with a smile. "Just turn it in your hand three times."

The Headmaster summoned Fawkes to follow him, and using the Elder Wand, he Vanished the portraits temporarily to fully provide Severus with the necessary solitude for what he was about to do.

Severus gawked at the Resurrection Stone. He was going to see the original love of his life again. He wasn't sure if it was even a good idea to call her from the dead. Did she know what he was about to do at this moment? Would she want to see him again so soon?

"I hope you do, Lils…I want to know if I'm doing things right so far." he whispered.

Severus did as bid and turned the Stone three times in his hand. He felt a light breeze, and then looked up.

There standing before him, not a ghost, but certainly not solid, was Lily Evans Potter. The Lily of old. His original love.

"Lily." he murmured apologetically.

Lily had a broad grin on her face.

"I'm so glad this version of Albus gave you the Stone." she said happily. "If it wasn't for Ariana's hint to him, I might never have been given this chance to help you."

"Help me?" Severus was puzzled. "What with? What have I done wrong this time round? What did I miss?"

Lily smiled a little less.

"You're doing a wonderful job so far, Sev." she said. "Oh, but how I've missed you. I sometimes wish you could have stayed, but that would be selfish as it would only have made you remain unhappy. The only thing you need to improve with, is forgiving James and Sirius."

Severus knew what Lily meant. He was still having trouble letting go of the past.

"It's difficult, Lily." said Severus sadly. "I can't stand to look at them, let alone befriend them."

"You befriended Remus, in the end." said Lily encouragingly.

"He never openly attacked me." said Severus. "And I still hate the old Lupin. But I feel I could make this version a better man."

"And Peter too." said Lily.

"I still hate him and this version." retorted Severus. "I'm only acting the role with him, so he doesn't make the same mistakes as his predecessor. If anything, I'm trying to protect this world's incarnation of you."

"But nevertheless, you are doing it. You are friends with Remus, you're helping the Marauder you should hate most of all for getting me killed. And half a year ago, you saved the two Marauders who hurt you the most. Surely, you can find a way to let go, and be friends with those two at least." said Lily.

"It's hard."

"I know it is, Sev." said Lily softly. "But I am scared. If you don't let the past go, you could lose everything you've worked for. You could lose this new me to this James. History could repeat itself, and I don't want that to happen. I want something more for you than that."

"And you think befriending Potter and Black will ensure I have a better life?" asked Severus sceptically.

"It couldn't hurt your chances." assured Lily. "If you and James are good friends, I doubt he'll want to win this new Lily from you. He owes you that much now."

Severus doubted that either version of James Potter had that sense of morality, but he knew he had to humour his best friend. After all, Quincey and Lily were already worried about his lack of ability to let go of his hate and were growing suspicious as well. He had to end his feud properly if he had any hope of dampening the suspicion.

"Lily." he said. "I have a question."

"Yes, Sev?"

"One day, in the future, if I ever got together with this new you…do you think I should tell her?"

"The truth about you?"

"Yes."

"I really don't know, Sev. If she is the best friend I have seen her to be, I like to think she would understand. Maybe you will have a better idea of it, when the time comes." replied Lily thoughtfully.

"I suppose so." said Severus. "Well, I imagine you'll want to be getting back to your…husband. So, I'll um-"

Severus was immediately regretting both his pronunciation of 'husband' as it sounded so disdainful, and also his having to let his best friend go. Even though he did have a new Lily in his life, he still missed the old one. She was still his best friend. The new Lily was hopefully going to be his soulmate more than his friend. Time would tell. But before he could consider letting go of the Stone, Lily piped up in a panic.

"Sev, wait! That's not all I wanted to help with!"

She sounded so desperate that Severus nearly dropped the Stone in surprise.

"What is it, Lils?"

"I have been dead for thirty-three years now, and I have been watching over you and Harry for all that time." explained Lily. "And by watching over you, I know a fair few things about those Horcruxes of Voldemort's, the same ones you're looking for now with Albus."

Realization struck Severus once again that evening.

"You know where the Horcruxes are?" he croaked excitedly.

"Some of them." replied Lily. "And I am not certain if the others have been made yet."

"Where? Tell me, Lily! Please!" exclaimed Severus.

"Well, you and Albus have the ring so far. You were right about the diary Harry destroyed." continued Lily. "Voldemort made it and after a while, he gave it to the Malfoy family, likely after Lucius Malfoy became a more loyal and powerful member of the Death Eaters. For all I know, Voldemort has it on his person at the moment. He will hopefully give it to Malfoy in a few years' time. Then there is the locket of Salazar Slytherin."

Severus showed great interest.

"I don't know where that is yet, but I do know when it will reach its eventual location. It will appear not long before the death of Regulus Black."

"How do you know?" asked Severus.

"Voldemort got Regulus to give him his family house elf, Kreacher to help deposit the locket Horcrux into this cave by the sea. It isn't far from the orphanage that he used to live in before Dumbledore met him to tell him about Hogwarts. After Kreacher nearly died in this mission, Regulus saw how evil Voldemort really was and died retrieving the locket and gave it to Kreacher to destroy. Eventually, it ended up in Harry's hands, and on the night you sent him the Gryffindor sword, the locket was destroyed by his friend, Ron."

Severus listened closely. "Any others?"

"Yes. Voldemort had an item from two other founders of Hogwarts each: Hufflepuff's cup and Ravenclaw's lost diadem."

"What? But that's been missing since the days of Rowena Ravenclaw herself! How the hell did Voldemort get his hands on it?"

Lily chuckled at his awe over her revelation.

"Well, I know he got the cup from some descendant of Hufflepuff, Hepzibah Smith, as well as the locket. He killed her and framed her house elf, Hokey for it. He took those items and made them into Horcruxes." she said.

"Where did he put the cup?" asked Severus.

"He eventually gave it to another trusted member of the Death Eaters, Bellatrix Lestrange." went on Lily. "She stored it in her vault."

"So that's why your son broke into Gringotts before coming back to Hogwarts." said Severus sensibly.

"Got it in one." replied Lily. "I believe he gave it to her not long before he went after Harry, James and I."

"So, I need to wait for both the cup and the diary." sighed Severus. "What about the diadem?"

"Well, Voldemort found it in Albania after getting close to Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of Rowena. She stole it and hid it there before she died. Anyway, Voldemort hid it in Hogwarts on the day he tried to get a teaching post from Dumbledore." continued Lily.

"I knew there would be a Horcrux here, it was Voldemort's first true home!" exclaimed Severus triumphantly. "That'll be one in the eye for Dumbledore. Where is it, Lils?"

"In the Room of Requirement. You need only ask the Room for a place to hide something. You'll find it there. Might take a bit of searching though."

"Brilliant!" grinned Severus. "That'll be the diadem and the ring in the bag! Any more?"

"Not at the moment." said Lily. "Nagini the snake doesn't exist yet, and the part of Voldemort's soul within Harry is obviously not there yet, if at all either. So you have one Horcrux with you now, another can easily be found in the Room of Requirement…but you will have to be patient to get at the cup, the locket and the diary."

Severus was a lot happier. He now knew all five of the Horcruxes, and two were obtainable, one already so. But he still didn't know how to destroy them, and he might have to wait for at least ten years to track and destroy them all.

As if on cue, Lily added: "As for destroying these objects, only two known methods seem to work. A Horcrux must be damaged beyond repair. You have figured out one way, and that's by administering Basilisk venom. But as the only Basilisk around is alive and inaccessible, you might have to rule that out."

"What's the other way?" asked Severus keenly.

"Fiendfyre." said Lily gravely.

Severus shuddered. "That's a very powerful piece of Dark magic, Lily." he replied. "And it's immensely difficult to control."

"I know." said Lily grimly.

"But it's the only open option we have, right?" asked Severus.

"Yes. Though I think you should leave that to Dumbledore."

Severus agreed.

"Thank you, Lily. So much." he whispered endearingly.

"I wanted to help you." smiled Lily. "And I still intend to. I'll keep an eye on the Lestranges, Malfoys and Blacks of this world. When I see Voldemort give them a Horcrux, I'll let you know. So how about you ask Dumbledore if you can keep hold of the Stone, and then check on me, say, once every three months, and I'll be able to tell you whether or not you can begin to trace a Horcrux."

Severus smiled. He wouldn't just be doing this to try and defeat the Voldemort of this new universe for good, but he would also be able to stay in touch with his friend.

"Sounds like a plan, Lils." he said with a genuinely broad smile.

Lily was smiling too.

"I guess I shall see you in three months' time." said Severus cheerily.

"Yep." smiled Lily. "Oh, and don't just thank me, Sev. It was thanks to Ariana hinting to her brother through the Stone that I could help, that you were able to access me tonight. I'm hoping she and I will be good friends. She'd certainly be better company than Sirius." she added rolling her eyes.

Severus was pleased by that.

"See you soon, Sev." said Lily affectionately.

"See you soon, Lils." replied Severus happily.

And with that, Severus dropped the Stone back onto Dumbledore's desk.

After taking in all the information and the sight of Lily again, Severus had two things spring to mind. One was that Lily sounded exasperated when she mentioned Sirius. That suggested to Severus that she might not be as close to him in Heaven as he had first anticipated, and that perked him up no end. The second thing was that Lily mentioned Dumbledore was inspired to let Severus use the Stone.

The eleven-year-old boy rolled his eyes, slightly frustrated.

Of course, Dumbledore had a motive beyond the repentant goodness of his heart. There was bound to be a catch.

"But at least this time…it was a nice catch." murmured Severus to himself. "And a bloody helpful one at that."

 **(Here's Chapter 23! Hope you like this double billed update this week! And I hope you like this chapter too! Chapter 24 will hopefully be up next week! Please review, and feel free to point out any mistakes I might have made! Thanks for reading!)**


	24. Chapter 24: Helena's Redemption

**Chapter 24: Helena's Redemption**

Dumbledore stepped out of his quarters to find Severus sat at the desk, staring at the Stone, with a broad grin on his face.

"I take it things went well." said Dumbledore, unsure if Severus knew he had done it for more than just empathetic reasons.

"Yes, as you had planned, Dumbledore." sneered Severus when he saw the Headmaster had returned.

"My apologies, Severus." said Dumbledore. "But it had to be done. And you did get to see your friend once again in the deal."

Severus smiled. "Yes, I did."

"Did you get information from her about the Horcruxes?" asked Dumbledore.

"All the information that we could possibly need." said Severus delightedly.

Dumbledore was intrigued at the effect Lily Potter's visit had done to Severus' character, but then, it had been twelve years, and although he was best friends with a new Lily, he still had and always would have a strong place in his heart for the old Lily, the woman he died for.

"What did she reveal?" asked Dumbledore keenly.

"There are five Horcruxes in total." said Severus. "Voldemort would make the snake into a Horcrux after his first downfall, and Harry Potter would be one at the time it happened, but with some luck, we won't get that far to let it happen."

"Indeed not." said Dumbledore. "We have the ring. What are the others?"

"We were right about the diary." continued Severus. "But there is also another Slytherin heirloom: a locket. And Voldemort has also used the cup of Hufflepuff, and the lost diadem of Ravenclaw."

Dumbledore was intrigued. "Do you now know where they are?"

"Not all of them yet, but we now have a spy who cannot be caught. Lily says she will keep an eye on those she knows will come to possess the Cup and the Diary. As for the locket, it will at some point be placed in a cave where Voldemort used to visit when he was living in an orphanage. He will be assisted in that task by a house elf named Kreacher, owned by the Black family." explained Severus.

Dumbledore nodded with a smile. He knew what Lily's help meant, but he waited for Severus to ask, but then he noticed that one Horcrux hadn't been mentioned.

"And what of the lost diadem?" he asked.

"It is here, at Hogwarts." replied Severus.

"Here?" gasped Dumbledore excitedly. "Where?"

"Voldemort learned of the diadem's location from the Grey Lady, Helena Ravenclaw. She stole it from her mother and hid it in Albania before she died. He turned it into a Horcrux and hid it in the Room of Requirement on the day-"

"On the day I denied him the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts post." said Dumbledore in realization. "I knew he had his own private agenda, besides teaching."

Severus nodded. "We could get it now."

"No." said Dumbledore. "You have been away from your dormitory long enough. I will try and find it privately."

"Lily also told me how we can destroy the ring and the diadem." said Severus after a pause of frustration that he couldn't help in finding the Horcrux.

"Oh?" said Dumbledore, trying not to let his excitement show.

"It involves very Dark magic, sir." said Severus gravely.

"What is it, Severus?" asked Dumbledore.

"Without the ability to speak Parseltongue, and the fact that the Basilisk in the Chamber tried to kill Harry Potter despite understanding him, its venom is unattainable." said Severus. "And sadly, from what Lily has witnessed, that only leaves one known existing method: Fiendfyre."

Severus was expecting Dumbledore to hiss with despair at how it would be next to impossible to use that spell to destroy the Horcrux, as neither of them had any experience using it and controlling it. But instead, he saw that Dumbledore was smiling.

"That is fortuitous." said Dumbledore. "I'm very well practiced in the usage of Fiendfyre."

"How?" cried Severus. "It is very Dark Magic!"

"I may work for the Light, for the Greater Good, Severus." said Dumbledore cryptically. "But that doesn't mean I never knew how to use the enemy's weapons."

Severus bowed his head. He had read Rita Skeeter's book, fully inclined to believe she had told lies about Dumbledore, but the portrait of Dumbledore denied nothing, albeit showed deep remorse for his foolish actions in his youth. He understood that during his many escapades with Gellert Grindelwald, Dumbledore must have learned many Dark forms of magic, including Fiendfyre.

"Do you think you can still master it?" he asked. "It must be years since you last used such a Dark spell."

"Oh, decades." admitted Dumbledore. "But I am confident that the talent never fades. Especially if one owns the Elder Wand."

Severus could see how having the Elder Wand would certainly give Dumbledore an advantage in controlling Fiendfyre, especially if, like the Stone, its powers were true.

Then it came to him.

"Sir, if you have the Elder Wand, and I'm now holding the Resurrection Stone, does that mean the Cloak of Invisibility exists also?" he asked.

"I believe it does, Severus." said Dumbledore. "Although, I don't think Death came to the three brothers and gave them these items, I believe they were just clever and exceptional wizards who made these items themselves, how, I cannot begin to imagine. But nevertheless, we have two items that make it entirely possible. Many Invisibility Cloaks exist, but none last. The spells used to make the gift possible never remain in power and can never truly make one perfectly invisible. A glimmer or a blur persists when one is wearing one, but this Cloak should be completely impossible to see the wearer, perfectly out of sight. I have spent many years wondering where I could find it."

"Is it not possible that like the diadem and the other two items, the Cloak is in fact within the castle walls?" asked Severus.

Dumbledore looked up to Severus, looking even more surprised than he had been when Severus revealed that the Diadem Horcrux was in the Room of Requirement.

"You know where it is?" he asked.

"Not with certainty." said Severus. "But when I was in school, James Potter possessed an Invisibility Cloak, and back then, I couldn't understand how he always seemed to appear from nowhere to harm me. But then, in his third year, I learnt that Harry Potter had the Cloak. I even used it to my advantage. It is very well made, and nobody saw me until I wanted them to, they didn't even make out a blur as you said. Potter's son got away with murder with the cloak. And Potter and Black were wearing that Cloak on the night I saved them from Remus. I wonder if perhaps Potter's Cloak is the one spoken of in _The Tale of the Three Brothers_."

Dumbledore certainly looked intrigued.

"Whoever uses all three of the Deathly Hallows, these three items, become Master of Death, or so many people claim." said Dumbledore. "I do not wish for that…now. But if your theory is correct, Severus, we are potentially making our efforts against Voldemort even greater."

Severus nodded comprehensively.

"Sir." he said quietly. "If I were to ask Potter about the Cloak, could I in return…keep the Stone? So that I can use it to keep in contact with Lily every three months. She said that whenever we do that, she can update us on whether or not she has seen one of the Horcruxes being located and therefore, discoverable."

Dumbledore smiled. "I guessed you would ask me this, Severus. And I have no objection on your using the Stone, but as it is dangerous and could easily fall into the wrong hands in Slytherin House, I would prefer to keep it in my office. But I will give it to you to use every three months, as you say."

Severus wasn't too pleased that Dumbledore insisted on keeping the Stone in his office, but from that point of view, it seemed the safer option. He nodded in agreement.

"Now, for the time being, I think we should retire to bed." said Dumbledore politely. "I'm sure your dormmates are wondering where you are."

Severus didn't want to arouse suspicion and so agreed to depart.

"When should we go looking for the diadem?" he asked.

Dumbledore paused thoughtfully.

"After your exams." he said at last with solemnity. "You need to focus on your education, or you will be in no position to fight Voldemort. It is really such a pity you didn't maintain your full magical talents from when you died."

Severus agreed. He still had the natural skills necessary to reach his previous wizarding levels again, but he still had to re-educate himself, and that would take time. That reminded him that perhaps next time he spoke to Dumbledore, he would bring up the fact that he used to brew the Wolfsbane Potion for the former Lupin, and would like to learn to brew it again for the current version of his new friend.

"Goodnight then, sir." said Severus.

"Goodnight, Mr Prince." smiled Dumbledore kindly.

Severus rushed back to his dormitory. He had five minutes before curfew began, and he didn't want to be delayed by someone like Lucius Malfoy on his way back, let alone get asked some difficult questions by Quincey.

The month went by insufferably slowly for Severus, but horrifyingly quickly for Lily, Quincey and everybody else. The exams were fast approaching, and Severus was not concerned about them in the least. He knew what questions were coming and he was confident that he would get high marks all round, with the possible exception of History for Magic.

What Severus really wanted to do was to help Dumbledore locate the diadem and watch with pleasure as the Headmaster destroyed it and the ring…if Dumbledore had not destroyed the latter Horcrux already.

Lily, however, was not letting her best friend slack. She even set up a rotor for herself, Severus, Quincey, Mary and anybody who would listen in their group to revise regularly.

"I didn't know you were so…Petunia! So organized, so bossy, so OCD!" teased Severus.

James and Sirius tried not to cackle at Severus' attempt to make a joke, while Quincey laughed away. Even Remus and Mary shook their heads humorously. Lily smacked his arm.

"Apart from our mutual desire for magic, I am nothing like Tuney!" she snapped half-heartedly.

"Nothing?" teased Mary. "So, you're not a girl?"

James and Sirius' restraints snapped, and they were both practically rolling on the floor.

Lily and Mary ended up wrestling. Fortunately, they were not in the library, or they would have been banned by Madam Pince until second year. They were now studying together in the Gryffindor dormitory. Even though two of the party were Ravenclaws, nobody showed too much reluctance, and Severus knew that Dumbledore wouldn't object, especially after he had received that talking to from Severus about Slytherins not being all bad. Severus was hoping that this would prompt Dumbledore to take more steps in securing House unity. This allowance of himself and Quincey into another house's common room was hopefully a starting point. He also hoped that if they managed to get Regulus to be friends with them, he would also help in promoting Slytherin's reputation in this way. A Slytherin in a Gryffindor residence was quite unheard of and would spark a lot of gossip, which would hopefully result in the unity that Severus wished to create.

Sirius was open to the idea of trying to divert Regulus away from their parents' Pure Blood principles and join their circle of friends but was personally not banking on any positive results. Lily also suggested making more friends in Hufflepuff as well, though so far, no particular candidate sprung to mind, but then again Hufflepuffs were friendly in general anyway. Something else that concerned friendship, which surprised everyone, was Severus' sudden cooperation in the befriending of himself, James and Sirius. The original Lily's words of warning were enough for him to make a lot more effort in letting the pair in, and although he wasn't truly happy to call them his friends, he certainly felt closer to them, as they did to him.

In the past month, although Severus hadn't heard anything from Dumbledore concerning the Horcruxes, he himself had found out that James' Invisibility Cloak was handed down to him throughout his family, passed down by his father, Fleamont. He personally didn't know how far back in the family the Cloak came from, but his father did express amazement that the Cloak's effects had never worn off like all other ones do.

This only heightened Severus' theory of James' Cloak being one of the three Deathly Hallows being a correct assumption.

Another piece of good news for Severus came in the form of a letter from his mother, confirming that despite Malfoy's father's best and most underhanded efforts, Septimus Prince was officially reinstated at the Ministry, with all his rights and privileges attendant. Septimus was positively glowing with triumph, as now was Severus…while Lucius Malfoy was now squirming with fury whenever they passed each other.

Eventually, the exams came. Lily was jittery with anticipation and nervousness. She was scared she didn't revise enough, or did but not the right things, and was hoping with all her might that she would do good enough to advance on to the second year of her education.

Severus wasn't worried, but did all he could to soothe her, especially when their first exam was about to commence, in this case, Transfiguration. Professor Reynolds oversaw the examination.

After that exam passed, Lily felt distinctively more confident, and thanks to her rotors and insistence, so did their social group as they had done more than enough revision to succeed in their exams.

Before they knew it, the stress was over for that year, and the exams concluded. Severus and Lily felt particularly confident that they got top marks in almost every subject, and Quincey only felt nervous with the Arithmancy and History for Magic exams.

As the group of friends celebrated the end of the exams, Frank and Alice deposited at the Gryffindor table, and Frank was the only one sat there without a smile on his face.

"What's wrong, Frank?" asked Mary.

"He's worried for next year." explained Alice. "He'll be taking OWLs by then."

As everyone tried to reassure Frank that he would do just fine, Severus saw an owl swoop to him and drop a note in his hand before flying back to the Owlery. Strangely, nobody saw this. They were all too busy stuffing their faces in delight that the exams were over for a year.

Severus took advantage of this and quickly scanned the note.

 _Dear Mr Prince,_

 _I trust your exams went well. If you wish to discuss any other concerns, please meet me in my office immediately. There is no need for an escort._

 _Yours,_

 _Professor A.P.W.B. Dumbledore_

Severus already knew the perfect excuse and masqueraded dropping his fork in panic.

"Oh no!" he gasped. "I think I made a mistake in my History for Magic exam. I must check on it in the library! I'll see you guys at dinner!"

Lily was surprised. Severus always seemed so confident. But then again, she was confident that his mistake wasn't a mistake and he would return at dinner time feeling much better about things. She certainly had his confidence now.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore was waiting for Severus in his office, and when the boy knocked, he admitted his entrance.

"Mr Prince." he smiled. "I trust your first-year exams went well."

"Perfectly." said Severus immodestly. "But I'm only concerned about finding the diadem and destroying it and that ugly ring you have wrapped up there."

Dumbledore smiled as he held the ring in its heavily protected fabrics and pocketed it.

"Indeed. No time like the present to destroy a Horcrux or two." said the Headmaster approvingly. "Let's head to the Room of Requirement. You'll need to show me where it is."

Severus nodded and he led the way. To avoid suspicion that he was hanging around with the normally absent Headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore used a Disillusionment Charm on himself to make it seem that Severus was walking alone to any passers-by.

The two of them travelled up to the seventh floor, and soon Severus approached the wall that he knew Harry had secretly set up Dumbledore's Army behind. He knew what he wanted, and he paced the wall three times, thinking: I want to find a room where all things in this castle have been hidden.

In answer to his wish, the door of the Room of Requirement made itself present and soon was fully formed, ready to be entered.

Dumbledore cast off his spell and became fully visible again. Severus looked at him to see the smile of impressiveness.

"Another splendid discovery at Hogwarts." he said cheerfully. "After you, Severus."

Before Severus could open the door, a loud female voice shrieked: "What are you doing?"

Both Severus and Dumbledore spun round.

The Grey Lady, aka Helena Ravenclaw was gliding towards them with a suspicious glare.

"What business have you got lurking around that doorway?" she said coldly.

Dumbledore smiled faintly.

"You have knowledge that could be valuable to us and would save us some time." he said eagerly. "My dear Miss Helena, would you be willing to help us find your family's lost diadem?"

"You have no business handling that possession of my mother's!" bellowed Helena. "The last time I let anyone on to its location, he polluted its radiance and power with Dark Magic!"

"We know." said Severus. "We're here to destroy that magic."

Dumbledore nodded. "If you help us destroy the Horcrux, your mother, I am sure, would be so proud…and I am sure it would fill you with a sense of…redemption."

Helena's cold glare softened at those last words. If there was one thing she craved in all her life as a ghost, it was to be forgiven by her wonderous mother, and to avenge the only thing she had left of her. She knew what destroying the Horcrux would mean, but better to be destroyed than corroded and corrupted by a fragment of the darkest wizard of all time's soul.

She made a decision.

"You promise to rid the world of that evil man?" she asked.

"Yes." said Severus.

"As you command, my lady." bowed Dumbledore.

Helena felt humbled. Never had she felt so respected and cared for. Even the pleas of the Bloody Baron, her former lover-turned-killer didn't compare to the kindness of Albus Dumbledore.

"Follow me then." she said, and she glided along into the Room.

Severus and Dumbledore obeyed and opened the door, entering the Come and Go Room.

They were astounded at the mess. There were items scattered everywhere, as far as the eye could see. There was no apparent end to the mass of junk. Old chairs, broken and tattered books and more than a fair amount of Zonko's products didn't even begin to describe the immense number of hidden objects in the Room.

"If Helena doesn't know for certain, or even know at all, where the diadem is in this lot, then our mission in here will be about as easy as finding fish in the Gobi Desert." said Severus doubtfully.

"No call for despair." said Dumbledore. "I'm sure Helena knows what she is doing."

"This way." droned Helena as she led the way in her mournful looking glide.

Severus and Dumbledore followed keenly.

Helena led them through this vast labyrinth of rubbish, and they even disturbed some Doxys along the way. The Room was clearly ridiculously vast, and even Dumbledore wondered how the founders managed to build such a massive room this way, where the walls seemed to be further out than the castle appeared from the outside.

Eventually, Helena came to a stop and pointed glumly at a box.

"Did he curse it?" asked Dumbledore seriously.

"No." she said. "He doubted anybody would ever find it. He didn't even see me follow him in here and watch him place it on that day he came here."

Dumbledore nodded, and opened the box delicately. Inside was a beautiful diadem, a small but perfectly preserved tiara. But there was a forebodingly lack of appeal around the piece of jewellery which was evidently the piece of Voldemort's soul lurking within it.

"This is it." smiled Dumbledore triumphantly.

"Yes." murmured Helena.

"We can destroy it now?" asked Severus.

"Indeed, but not in this maze. We may not make it out alive." said Dumbledore.

"Then where?" asked Severus and Helena in unison.

"This Room, but in a different form. One more spacious for our rather heated mission to come." said Dumbledore suggestively.

The two spectators nodded and they all came out of the Room of Hidden Things. As the door faded from view, Dumbledore followed Severus' example and wished mentally: I need a room where there is plenty of space and no obstacles, in order to safely destroy a Dark object.

The door reappeared, and Dumbledore opened the door.

This time, the Room wasn't packed, but was still large. It was about the size of Septimus and Desdemona's banqueting hall, only completely bare of any furniture or possessions of any kind.

"This will be where we destroy the Horcruxes." said Dumbledore confidently.

"You sure you can do it?" asked Severus.

"Absolutely." said Dumbledore cheerily. He positioned the diadem and the handkerchief covered ring onto the floor. He carefully opened the handkerchiefs out and flipped them out from underneath the deadly object and it spun to a stop next to the diadem.

"Step back, please Severus." said Dumbledore.

Severus did so, and Helena watched on beside him with anticipation and what was very close to being a smile of hope.

Dumbledore also retreated, as if to protect Severus just in case, but the door was just behind them anyway.

"I'm going to cast the curse now, Severus, Miss Helena." warned Dumbledore.

"Okay, sir." replied Severus.

"Just do it, Headmaster." added Helena desperately.

Dumbledore nodded and conceded, silently swirling his wand. The Fiendfyre began to pour out of the wand tip and its holder aimed the evil conflagration directly at the seemingly harmless items on the floor. As soon as the Fiendfyre connected with the Horcruxes, terrible shrieks were heard from within them and something black and grim seeped out of the ring and diadem before ultimately being consumed by the terrible flames.

Before the Fiendfyre could begin to spread any further, Dumbledore flourished his wand strategically and artistically, and within a moment, the flames disappeared gradually and harmlessly.

Severus barely comprehended this. He felt dazed with joy. They had done it. They had found two Horcruxes and destroyed them, and his first year at Hogwarts was not quite finished yet.

"Success!" beamed Dumbledore.

"YES!" cheered Severus and Helena together.

Helena never looked so joyous before. Soon, Dumbledore led them both out of the Room and the door vanished again.

"I think we should make this Room our Horcrux Destroying base, don't you think, Mr Prince?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, sir." agreed Severus.

"Oh."

Helena was holding her hand up to herself…she was fading, even more so in her ghostly state.

"You seem ready to move on, it seems." smiled Dumbledore. "And I didn't think that was even possible. I've never seen this before."

Helena's smile showed nothing but peace and closure.

"A whole millennium…and at last, I am free." she whispered. "Thank you for ending the abomination on my mother's legacy…I hope she'll forgive me…"

"Good luck." said Severus kindly.

"Safe journey." added Dumbledore.

As Helena began to fade, she heard chains behind her. The Bloody Baron was there…he was fading too though.

"You." she said harshly.

The Bloody Baron looked pained. Severus realized…they knew each other, and as he had never seen the Baron look so unhappy before, he concluded that he was in love with Helena…but she didn't love him. Severus saw so much of himself in the Baron in that instant.

"If you must come." sighed Helena.

The Baron smiled softly. "Thank you. I only came back to punish myself…and…I didn't want to go without you."

"…You spent all this time here…for me?"

"How could I not?" asked the Baron earnestly. "I owed you."

"You did." said Helena. "And you were wise enough to see that you deserved punishment…but then, so did I. Maybe…things did turn out the right way after all. Come, let's go home."

The Baron took her extended hand, and with a final smile each to Severus and Dumbledore, the most unlikely couple that Severus had ever seen disappeared…on to the afterlife.

 **(Here's Chapter 24. Sorry for the wait. I hope you all like it. Chapter 25 will hopefully be up next week. Please review your thoughts. Thank you for reading!)**


	25. Chapter 25: The First Summer Holidays

**Chapter 25: The First Summer Holidays**

Severus and Dumbledore's victory at destroying the diadem and the cursed ring went by quietly, and they had high hopes for Helena in her afterlife, especially as the Bloody Baron left with her, clearly in love with her.

The two of them went their separate ways after the ghosts' departure and agreed to meet just before term ended to discuss using the Stone at the end of July, as that would be when Severus was due to see the old Lily once again via the Resurrection Stone.

Meanwhile, the current Lily was feeling more than ecstatic at the thought of returning home to Cokeworth for the summer, and to reunite with her family, as Severus would reunite with his mother, and at some point, over the summer, his grandparents too. He was keen to see them, as Septimus' return to the Ministry felt such a triumph over the Malfoys and other supremacist families who had tried to drag him down.

Lucius Malfoy's mood didn't improve as the remaining few weeks at Hogwarts went on, and his OWL exams did nothing to improve his temperament. His lackies were no better. Every time one of them passed Severus and his friends in the corridors and out of earshot of a teacher, they would snap at him and hurl no end of offensive insults. Many a time, Severus was tempted to inflict the Bat Bogey Hex or something worse upon them, but Lily and Quincey always managed to soothe him in time. James and Sirius on the other hand were much more difficult to negotiate with. They revelled at the idea of retaliating against Malfoy and his Slytherin buddies. It was when Lily reminded them that they were aiming to make some Slytherin friends next year that they decided to restrain themselves.

One day at breakfast, Professor Dumbledore called out for an important notice. The students hushed down, wondering what it could be. Dumbledore rarely addressed all the students for important announcements.

"I am sad to inform you all that Professor Reynolds has passed away, after being poisoned by a particularly dangerous plant in the Hogwarts greenhouses." said Dumbledore grimly.

Many students gasped, and Lily's hand clasped over her mouth in shock.

Severus groaned. How could he have forgotten? He knew Reynolds died this way last time, and he looked up at Dumbledore with a guilty expression.

Dumbledore looked to him and smiled faintly. As everyone around chatted incessantly about the death of their teacher, Dumbledore jerked a finger upwards in a casual manner, and Severus understood that he was to meet the Headmaster in his office that evening.

After listening agonisingly to Lily and the others talk of the poor professor's untimely passing, Severus had many a morbid thought in his head by the time he reached Dumbledore's office. The most predatory thought in his mind by now was that the death of Reynolds was his fault. If he had only remembered, if he hadn't been so focused on the big picture and thinking of other alternate incidents, he could have made sure Dumbledore stopped Reynolds from entering the greenhouse to try and steal the poisonous but valuable plants. He could have saved his life. And he failed.

He soon found himself inside Dumbledore's office. The Headmaster was looking at him very seriously.

"Did you know Professor Reynolds was going to die, Severus?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." mumbled Severus. "I forgot about it though, after everything that's gone on this year already…I can't believe how careless I had been. I could have saved him, I could have…"

Dumbledore's serious expression softened into one of sympathy. It was plain for anyone to see that Severus didn't forget on purpose, and he was punishing himself with his bad habit of blaming himself for everything that goes wrong.

"Severus, Professor Reynolds' actions were his own responsibility, and I think you know as well as I that something would've happened to prevent his return to Hogwarts anyway, thanks to a certain curse cast by Lord Voldemort." said Dumbledore mildly.

"Yes, but he could've still lived." said Severus miserably. "He could have been caught by you or Professor Sprout had I intervened, and you would likely have sacked him for theft. He didn't have to die, if I hadn't been so narrow-minded as to forget that a teacher's death was coming!"

"There would have been no guarantee." said Dumbledore. "Not everything that happened in your universe is set in stone here. Look at the differences you have seen so far. Your mother is still alive, you have a relationship with your grandparents, your role in the Shrieking Shack incident has been reversed, you have more friends, Moaning Myrtle isn't here, the Grey Lady and the Bloody Baron have moved on, and more importantly, Lord Voldemort is getting closer to death quicker than he had in your last life. You may have remembered to warn me about Professor Reynolds, but I may not have reached him in time, I could have gotten poisoned in his place or he may have tried again a different day. You just don't know, and with that knowledge, I refuse to believe that you can possibly blame yourself for this unfortunate occurrence. I certainly don't blame you in the least."

Severus would not usually succumb to other people's beliefs that he wasn't to blame for things, but today, hearing it from Dumbledore so sincerely, so kindly, especially in the low ebb he was in, Severus couldn't help but feel relieved. Dumbledore didn't blame him for Reynolds' death. Even in his last life, Dumbledore dropped hints that suggested he didn't believe Severus had a clean slate. He manipulated Severus' remorse for his role in Lily's death, he remarked on how he watched innocent people die whilst spying on Voldemort, as if blaming him for not being able to save them, even though he had to act indifferent on the Headmaster's orders. This Dumbledore was certainly a much more forgiving and tender-hearted man than his predecessor.

"Thank you, sir." he mumbled, trying not to shed yet another tear. He still had a belief that showing his emotions would be seen as weakness.

"It's alright, Severus." said Dumbledore. "Professor Reynolds' body has been claimed by his family, and now all that remains is the inquiry, though the fact that he was in the greenhouse at a ridiculous hour will justify the situation itself, and the need to advertise for a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Severus nodded. "I still wish I could have done more."

"You've done more than enough this year so far." assured Dumbledore. "Thanks to you, we have eliminated two Horcruxes, and we now have a fool proof and undetectable spy to help us find the others. Your failure to alter Professor Reynolds' fate is not your fault. Something would have happened either way thanks to the curse on the post. Reynolds believed the rumours. He knew the risks. His fate was in his own hands."

Before Severus could interrupt, Dumbledore raised his hand.

"I want you to forget all about this unfortunate occurrence, Mr Prince. I do not blame you, and nor will anybody else. Summer is nearly here, so I expect you to enjoy the holidays. Now go and make some plans and enjoy your temporary time of luxury."

Severus knew this was his cue to leave. He still felt some guilt, but Dumbledore's genuine insistence that he was not to blame appeased him somewhat. He just wished Dumbledore's eloquence could have been as effective in his past life, not that that version of the Headmaster was ever as truthful and affectionate, to him anyway.

"Goodbye then, sir."

"Oh, and Severus." said the Headmaster. "I'll be owling you the Stone, with wards on it so nobody can intercept or remove it from the envelope. Only your touch of the letter will remove them. Once you seal the Stone back up again, the wards will be put back in place, and you are to owl it straight back to me. And please, add a note with any information your old friend has for us."

Severus bowed his head to say he understood and shut the door behind him.

Severus and Lily were quite excited for the holidays by the time the term fully ended. They also had made many plans on how to spend the summer. Lily was going to come with Severus and Eileen to visit his grandparents for the second week. On the first week, they would just enjoy their own times together in their neighbourhoods. Mary invited Lily to visit her at her house on the third week, along with Marlene and Rebecca. Severus would remain at his grandparents' manor that week but would then visit Quincey and his parents over the following weekend.

James and Sirius tried and failed to get any of the four friends to visit them, but as Sirius didn't like his own household anyway, that wasn't much of an issue. But James invited Sirius to visit him instead and extended the invitation to Regulus too. Lily and Severus approved of the idea, as it would be a good start to gaining the boy's friendship. Instead of Severus, Lily, Quincey and Mary, the two Marauders-in-making invited Remus and Peter over to stay at James' house instead, which made both friends feel very happy and wanted. Remus was also invited by Severus to stay with him and Eileen on the week before the last one before school began again. Remus and Peter were the most delighted to have invites to their new friends' homes, as they felt like the lesser members of the group, one because of his condition, and the other because of his inadequacy in magic compared to everybody else, though he compensated for this in James and Sirius' eyes when he stood up to Lucius Malfoy.

Remus was also happier due to the Wolfsbane Potion. Dumbledore ordered for Slughorn to brew enough for the two full moons over the holidays, as well as for the first term back to Hogwarts. He was fully prepared for his transformations.

Soon, they were all on the Hogwarts Express, and as they settled down to their sweets and games in their compartment, Severus, Lily, Quincey, Mary, Marlene and Rebecca only had pleasant visitors, such as James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Frank and Alice. Nora Waynefleet also paid a visit to ask Severus and Quincey if they wanted to meet up for ice cream at Diagon Alley, which they agreed to. No unwanted guests made an appearance at all.

A few hours later, they all got off at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, and the four friends' parents greeted them and one another respectively, which took a good fifteen minutes, and all the arrangements were made.

After a cheerful farewell to all their friends, Severus and Lily joined Rose, Trevor and Eileen in the car back home, their trunks packed in the boot.

"Where's Tuney?" asked Lily.

"Back home." said Rose. "She's keen to learn all about your first year, but said she wanted to see something on the television while we were gone. She said it was important for a summer project."

Lily was curious for a mere moment before she and Severus grew drowsy and fell asleep not long after, her head on Severus' shoulder, and his drooping on his mother's. She smiled softly, kissing his head. She definitely enjoyed life this time round, hands down. She had her parents back, her husband was no longer causing her grief, and her son was happier. Not to mention her new social life…

It was evening by the time they got back to Cokeworth and pulled up on Spinner's End to drop off Severus and Eileen. The sky was still bright blue, but the sun was beginning to make its descent to the lower horizon. Severus found it a pleasant sight when he awoke.

"We're home, darling." said his mother quietly.

Severus stretched and smiled at Lily resting on him. He nudged her softly and she yawned.

"I need to get out, Lils." he said regretfully.

"Okay, Sev. I'll see you tomorrow, perhaps."

"Definitely."

As Severus was helped by Trevor to get his trunk out of the boot, Eileen was guided further away by Rose.

"Don't forget to tell him, dear." said the latter quietly. "You avoided telling him over Christmas, but I don't think you can avoid it over the whole summer."

"I told you already, Rose, I will." promised Eileen. "Just need to find the right time."

"He'll be delighted for you, I promise." said Rose encouragingly. "See you in the week."

And with that, Rose got back into the car, and Trevor followed, taking the driver's seat. The Princes waved as the Evans family drove away.

"Let's head in then, Severus." she said cheerily, as the car faded from view.

As for Lily, she was still fairly drowsy when they pulled into their little drive. She was helped by Trevor in getting her trunk out. Lily felt some minor regret that she was no longer privileged to use her wand now that she was outside of Hogwarts. She couldn't even perform magic in the safety of her own house as none of her family had any magic.

Rose opened the door.

"Petunia, we're home!" she called.

At the same moment she said this, Rose and Lily walked into the living room, and saw Petunia was watching a piece of news, and was eager to switch it off.

"What was on the news, Petunia?" asked Rose. "You look a bit frazzled."

Lily noticed that Petunia did indeed look flustered.

"Oh, um, something weird. One moment, they were talking of some political situation in Greece, and just now, this new piece came up, something about a magazine for homosexuals being released, first of its kind, or something like that, in America, I think." she explained.

"Ah, heard about that at work this morning." scoffed Trevor. " _Gay News_ , they're gonna call it."

"What's wrong with that, pray?" asked Rose with folded arms.

"Well, bit unnatural." shrugged Trevor.

"Is it now, Daddy?" asked Lily, suddenly looking very similar to her mother, hands on her hips, with a stern glare. "I have magic, does that make me unnatural?"

"No, no, not at all, dear." said Trevor.

"Though this is odd." said Petunia quietly, looking down, which suggested to Lily that her sister didn't want to cause another magic-related argument.

"Why?" asked Lily.

"Homosexuality is against the nature of the Lord." said Trevor.

"So is magic." said Lily.

Trevor had to agree, but it was clear for Lily to see that he and Petunia were on one side, and she and her mother were on the other, though she was unsure if Rose was all for homosexuality or not, as she may only have defended it because she had enough tact to see that Lily related the 'oddness' of it to her unique ability to practice magic.

Nobody spoke on the delicate subject for the rest of that evening.

Lily and Severus had a grand time on that first week of their summer holiday. They spent many an afternoon laying side by side by the river and compared notes on the past year and its excitements. Not once did Lily question anything about Severus' private times, but she knew he was a reserved individual a lot of the time, plus she seemed too carefree to worry about anything.

If they weren't privately playing together at the river or in the park, the two best friends would either be spending some time with Petunia, discussing with her all the things they had learned in Herbology, and tried to forewarn her about how she might not enjoy History of Magic, because even Lily disdained the subject, but Petunia was adamant that she would want to give it a go. When they went out on their own, Petunia didn't mind, since she had her new friend, Clare Willett, round more often. Rose and Trevor called the girl a delight quite often. This made Lily happy that her sister had reinstated herself in Muggle society once more so successfully.

Sometimes, both friends felt that Petunia was trying to communicate something to them but couldn't bring herself to do so. She looked slightly distressed whenever these moments came up, but Lily assumed she wanted to ask for another favour but was too self-conscious to ask as they had done so much for her already.

Over the weekend before going to the Prince Manor, the two families went to one another's houses for dinner. They had joyous conversations, and Petunia was given a tour of Eileen's collection of old school things, including her Gobstones set. Severus, Lily and Eileen were more than happy to show her how to play.

Then the following Monday, all six travelled via the Floo Network to the Prince Manor.

Septimus and Desdemona greeted them all warmly. Septimus looked much more cheerful than he had been over Christmas. He also gave Lily, Severus and Petunia a rare book each on magic, Petunia's specifically relating to Herbology.

"Hard to find, easy to pay for." he said cheekily. "The Minister was keen to compensate my unfair treatment."

All those present laughed, especially when Severus and Lily described Lucius Malfoy's disgust at learning his father had failed to keep Septimus out of office.

"Someone ought to give that boy and his unworthy father a good thump." said Desdemona dubiously.

"Oh, Peter Pettigrew from Gryffindor gave it a good try after he attacked Remus and Potter." said Severus.

Then he and Lily explained about the incident in the Great Hall.

"At least he was disciplined." said Desdemona. "What was on that note Dumbledore sent you anyway, Severus?"

Severus continued his lie about specific books he wanted that the Headmaster obliged himself to supply.

"Must think you're an exceptional student, lad!" said Septimus approvingly.

"Lily's exceptional too." said Severus. "Many teachers said she was the most talented Muggle-born student they'd had in many a year, particularly Professor Slughorn."

"You might wanna avoid standing out to old Sluggie." warned Septimus. "Otherwise he'll coerce you into them flipping clubs and parties of his."

Severus remembered those only too well, but felt they would be unavoidable, plus with a stronger friendship with Lily in this lifetime, he pondered on the possibility that the Slug Club would be much more enjoyable this time.

Petunia and Rose went to visit the house elves, and were treated to cupcakes, then the whole group discussed what they would do for the week, before the Evans family returned home. Not only was Lily going to see her girlfriends that week, but Petunia was having some sleepovers between Clare Willett and several other friends too.

Severus wondered at which week Dumbledore would send him the Stone. Ideally, the best week would be on the fourth week, as he had nothing special planned for that week, just some peace and quiet with Eileen and Lily, like the previous week had been.

After a whole week of leisure, flying brooms, food, drink and even demonstrations of potion brewing for Severus, Lily and Petunia, the Evans family went home. Lily waved to Severus, and neither of them had noticed that Rose was giving Eileen a warning glare.

Eileen knew what Rose wanted her to do. But she wasn't sure when the right time was. What if Severus didn't approve? What if he was scared that history would repeat itself?

During the third week, where Severus remained with his grandparents, he often found himself missing Lily more and more each day. He kept correspondence every other day with her and with Quincey, whom was looking forward to seeing him on the coming weekend. Quincey's parents sounded very pleased to have Severus as a house guest, even for just a weekend.

One thing that struck Severus as odd over the week was that Eileen often seemed to Floo off somewhere without explanation, and return after several hours, with a light smile on her face, but with trepidation in her eyes.

Then Severus remembered Eileen's secret. He hadn't dwelled on it much for some time, since he had been so preoccupied with exams, Dumbledore learning his own secret, and the hunting of the Horcruxes.

He wondered if this was what Eileen was doing. But what was she doing?

When he asked her about it, Eileen simply said: "Later."

But the later went on until the end of the visit.

After a loving and cuddly farewell to his grandparents, who promised to visit Severus and Eileen on the last day before term began again, Severus was Flooed by his mother not to Spinner's End, but straight to Quincey's home in Kent.

Eileen greeted Mr and Mrs Arnolds warmly and asked them with concern, as only a mother could and should, to take good care of Severus.

Severus would have been embarrassed, but he just couldn't be. Not after knowing how uncaring his mother became in their first lives. He instead felt warm, flattered and deeply loved, and he was eternally grateful for it.

"You can be rest assured, Miss Prince, that Severus will be perfectly safe here. We owe him that much for making our Quinny feel so welcome at his new school." said Mrs Arnolds.

Severus tried not to smirk as Quincey's face blanched deep red at the embarrassing nickname.

"See you on Monday, then, Severus." said Eileen affectionately, kissing her son's cheek, making his face turn pink.

Bye, Mum." he said. His embarrassment in that quick moment made him forget to remind her that she still had something to tell him, and she Flooed away before he could.

Quincey and Severus had a fun time that weekend. Quincey showed Severus how to play games he never bothered trying even after meeting Lily and Petunia, such as football and cricket. Many of the local neighbours who played these sports were nothing like the prejudiced bunch in Cokeworth who avoided Severus like the plague, thanks to his father's reputation and his own former bizarre appearance during his first nine years of life. Severus found himself enjoying the Muggle games and the Muggles he was now associating with, some of them very good friends of Quincey's. He wished he could have known them in his past life. With Petunia and his father as primary examples of Muggles in his first life, it was hardly surprising that Severus had grown to heavily dislike them in general.

After this active and fun-filled weekend, Severus bade farewell to Quincey, thanked his parents for their hospitality and then Flooed home himself, as he had by now had enough practice as well as memories of the experience from his past life.

Eileen was waiting for him there.

"Hello, dear. Had a good time?"

"It was great." admitted Severus truthfully. He told her about his experience of playing with the local Muggles.

"Not so bad, really, are they?" smiled Eileen in an approving manner.

"Not all of them, I'll admit." shrugged Severus.

Both mother and son's eyes daunted at the remembrance of the worst of Muggles, Tobias Snape.

"Anyway." said his mother after an awkward pause. "This arrived by owl this morning. Seems to have magic on it, it's for you. From Professor Dumbledore."

Severus realized what it was and took the envelope eagerly.

"Thanks, Mum." he said.

"What is it?" asked his mother.

"A small bezoar." lied Severus. "I wanted to look at one for an idea I had in Potions. Dumbledore approved mine and Slughorn's request to have one."

"I see." murmured Eileen. She looked doubtful, but then she glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece above the wooden fire. "Heavens, is that the time? I need to head out, Severus. Why don't you go and show Lily your bezoar? She came home yesterday. I saw her arrive while visiting Rose and Trevor. See you later, darling."

"Mum, where are you going?" asked Severus swiftly.

But Eileen was already out the door, and he heard the pop of her Apparating away.

Severus frowned, but then dismissed it, because now the house was empty, and he had an opportunity. He sat down at the kitchen table, and twirled the Stone thrice in his hand, and closed his eyes with excited anticipation.

"Hey, Sev." said his childhood friend.

Severus looked to see Lily Potter sat opposite him, how that was possible he didn't know, with a smile on her face.

"Hey, Lils." he replied pleasantly. "How are things in Heaven?"

"Perfect, except for the limitations of seeing you." said Lily.

"Why don't you seek…other versions of me?" asked Severus, slightly hurt by his own suggestion.

"Cos nobody could replace you." said Lily truthfully. "I don't care if there's a Severus out there who was the perfect child, he wouldn't be my best friend."

Severus nodded thankfully that she perceived him as uniquely as to forbear herself to meet a new version of himself.

"How are things with Potter?" asked Severus.

"James." corrected Lily with no malice. "He's good with me, but he has Sirius and Marlene round far too often. Marlene helps to distract me, but god, that man is insatiably annoying, even in death."

Severus smirked.

"Sounds like the Black of old." he sneered.

"Yes." agreed Lily. She still disliked Sirius for how he still disliked Severus, but then again, Severus would never be likely to forgive the original version either. And she didn't expect him to; Sirius nearly killed him.

"Changing the subject, I have no current news on the other Horcruxes, I'm afraid." said Lily dimly.

Severus suspected as such.

"Nothing interesting has happened concerning the Malfoys or the Blacks, though the Blacks are rather insistent towards Regulus to not let them down the way Sirius had done." she added.

"Which will make it harder for us to befriend him." said Severus.

"Indeed." said Lily. "But don't give up. It's a good idea!"

Severus agreed wholeheartedly.

"Oh, and the Lestranges have married last week. The Blacks attended, except Sirius. He refused to go and has spent a lot of the holidays with James and his parents." said Lily.

"Have the Lestranges already joined Voldemort?" asked Severus.

"Yes, they were branded three days ago." replied Lily. "Voldemort was very proud to see two more Pure-Bloods keeping to the 'true' way of Wizarding marriage and purity and all that crap."

Severus cringed at the thought of it.

"We need to try and steer Regulus clear of that nonsense soon, fast." he murmured.

"But try not to be as stubbornly forceful as you tend to be usually, Sev." said Lily, giggling at the sight of a twelve-year-old talking so seriously and conspiratorially.

Severus rolled his eyes at her below-the-belt humour.

"I will do my bit with Regulus." he said. "I hope you still _want_ to help out with your spy role?"

"Of course, I do, Sev." said Lily assuredly.

"You know you don't have to." said Severus.

"Alternate world or not, Sev, people's lives are at stake and I would not forgive myself knowing I had the means to help this world be a better place to live in and did nothing." said Lily in a logical manner.

Severus saw her point. Both Lilys liked to help and to see the best in things. And she also liked to make the best of a bad situation…most times anyway.

"Well, again, thank you." said Severus with a smile.

"You're welcome." smiled Lily.

"If that's all the information you have, and we have nothing unawkward to talk about…I guess this is farewell until October." said Severus.

"Yeah, Sev. Halloween okay?"

Severus wasn't sure that it was okay. After all, Halloween was the day he had lost Lily, seemingly forever, over thirty years ago. But he nodded in assent.

"Don't worry about that, Sev." said Lily. "Remember, I am happy, and we're friends again."

"Best friends." corrected Severus sternly. "This new Lily may well be my true love one day, and Quincey's a best boy friend, but you will always be the one who was my inspiration to be the best bloody spy against the most evil wizard of all time, the light in my dark tunnel…the woman I first loved, and will always love, only now in the way you preferred."

Lily had a tear in her eye, smiling.

"I'm still sorry about hurting you, Sev." she whispered.

"As am I. But we forgive each other, don't we?"

"Yes. Very much, yes."

"Then I just need to live the perfect life and then we can all enjoy a perfect paradise, with you and I as best friends."

"Always." added Lily happily.

With a smile apiece, Severus and Lily bade farewell for that visit, and Severus let go of the Stone.

Quarter of an hour later, the envelope was resealed, with a note for Dumbledore, written with the words:

 _Nothing that you don't already know (likely) has come to light. No items revealed._

Gabriel was there, as if he knew Severus required his services, and so he attached the envelope to his leg, and with a piece of bread crust placed in his beak, the helpful little owl took off into the sky, taking the Stone back to Hogwarts, while Severus locked up the house to go and spend time with, who was hopefully going to be, the love of his life.

 **(Here's Chapter 25. Quite a long one. Hope you all like it! Please review and feel free to point out any mistakes I made.)**


	26. Chapter 26: Old and New Friends

**Chapter 26: Old and New Friends**

Severus enjoyed his week with Lily and the rest of the Evans family, and by the end of that week, he would be expecting the company of one Remus Lupin.

Remus was looking fairly exhausted when he arrived via the Floo Network, and he looked very much like his mother. She and her father dropped him off, greeted and thanked Eileen and departed after a farewell kiss to Remus from his mother. His father, on the other hand, showed little affection and Remus looked displeased.

"Something wrong?" asked Severus, after the Lupins left.

"What do you mean?" asked Remus uncomfortably.

"Well, you and your father didn't seem too…close, I suppose." explained Severus.

Remus looked down. "He hates himself for what happened to me."

"Your father? Why?"

"He was the reason I became a werewolf, in a way." explained Remus. "He insulted this particularly nasty one, Fenrir Greyback…and in retaliation, Greyback took me and inflicted the bite…my father has never been able to look me in the eye since. I don't know if it's because he thinks I blame him, or because he now hates me as well for being one of the foul creatures he insulted."

Remus looked fit for tears, but Eileen surprisingly came in and rubbed his shoulder kindly.

"Don't you let such negative thoughts corrode your mind, Master Lupin." she murmured. "I saw how your father looks at you. There is no hatred in that man's eyes when he sees you, and of all people, Severus and I would know what it's like to see a man you call a father look at you with hatred and abhorrence. Your father loves you. He's just upset with himself."

Remus nodded with a small smile.

"I thought it would be different, you know." he said quietly. "I have the Wolfsbane Potion now. I could transform safely now, locked in my room and just rest peacefully. But I think the fact that my parents had to hear my agony when I transformed was too much. And then Dad only thought of negative stuff, like I have the Potion now, but what about after I leave Hogwarts? How will I get the Potion then, as I can't afford it, and neither can they? And he has a point…how will I live without it?"

"Couldn't you brew it yourself?" asked Eileen.

Severus knew he wouldn't be able to. Remus was never a good Potioneer, and he would not be able to find a lot of the ingredients without paying for more than half of them.

"I'd do it." said Severus.

"What?"

"I'd volunteer." said Severus. "I have a small fortune in my vault at Gringotts, and by the end of school, I'm sure I will know all about this Wolfsbane Potion, and then I can be your brewer. And since we're friends, I won't demand anything in return."

Remus shook his head, overwhelmed.

"I couldn't ask you to do that, Severus." he murmured dismally. "It would take up far too much of your time."

"Not really." said Severus. "We have a lab here and I believe my grandfather has a massive one at the Prince Manor. I could brew you enough to last months before needing to make another load."

"But I can't just expect this to be free." protested Remus.

"You can." said Severus. "And if by that time, you still insist, you can always pay a small amount from whatever wages you end up earning in future."

"If anything." said Remus mournfully. "Where would I be able to work? Who'd hire an adult werewolf?"

Severus and Eileen looked at him sympathetically. They couldn't answer that question confidently.

After a while, Severus invited Remus to come with him to visit Lily and her family.

Lily anticipated this eventuality for the holidays and told her parents and Petunia about Remus and his poorly condition.

"He's always falling ill?" said Rose.

"Nothing contagious, is it?" asked Trevor.

"Not so far as I know." said Lily. "Nobody in Gryffindor has complained about catching anything from him."

"Maybe Muggles are more susceptible?" suggested Petunia.

"I'm sure that isn't so, Tuney." said Lily.

The three of them nodded, trusting Lily, and Rose decided to brew some soup for the poor boy.

"Soup can cure anything. One of your Mummy's special poorliness soups too!" she said optimistically.

Lily guided Petunia to the next room.

"Tuney, could you please treat Remus like you would treat Sev and I?"

"Um, okay." said Petunia guiltily. "I won't upset him, Lils. Promise."

Lily nodded, satisfied. Petunia looked like she wanted to say something else, but refrained herself.

Severus also warned Remus that the Evans family knew nothing of his condition and that there was no need for concern.

Remus wished that Lily and her family could know the truth of his condition, but he understood that they needed to be kept in the dark for the time being, otherwise the Evans family, especially Petunia, could develop panic and shout to the stars about him.

On the way, Remus also told Severus how he and Peter and Sirius had all stayed over at James' manor over the course of the second week. Remus and Peter left after that week, but Sirius remained for another week, and if he and James could persuade their parents, maybe even longer. Sirius seemed to be much more at home with James than with his own family.

Apparently, Sirius had to lie to his parents about the Potter family's views, and they let him and Regulus go. Regulus had accepted the invitation because he wanted to hear from both Sirius and James about Hogwarts and of the ways of the Houses. He was, like his parents, disappointed that Sirius had been Sorted into Gryffindor, but he was also the only one who wasn't condescending upon Sirius and showing contempt towards him.

Remus admitted to Severus that nobody had told Regulus of his condition, as it would inevitably spark prejudice and hatred. This would, of course, had sparked James and Sirius' own rage and perhaps even retribution, which could have led to terrible legal results. So, for the time being, Regulus was kept in the dark on that little secret. But on the bright side, they all got on. But Remus pointed out that Regulus was not receiving very good feedback on Slytherin House, and he received absolutely no foul language directed at Muggle, Muggle-borns, Half-Blood, half breeds or anything below Pure Bloods. This sparked his suspicions that Sirius had invited him to hang out with some equality fighters, which he currently held no interest in.

Remus had to go home by the time these suspicions came to light, and so for the time being, none of them knew what had occurred between the Potters and the Black brothers in his absence.

Severus said that he was sure they would find out in due course, but for now, they need to enjoy the week ahead.

So, the two friends knocked on Lily's front door, and she welcomed them in, giving Remus a reunion hug.

"Feels like ages already!" she said excitedly.

Severus chuckled, and Remus just smiled happily at the continuing acceptance.

"My parents and sister are in the living room." said Lily and she practically dragged Remus in, whom still had sore muscles from his latest transformations. He refrained from mentioning it, but Severus distinctly heard and saw him wince.

"Mum, Dad, Tuney. This is Remus Lupin!" she declared in introduction.

"Good day to you, Mr Lupin." said Trevor, shaking Remus' hand heartily.

"Hello, Remus, dear." said Rose motherly, which reminded Severus distinctively of one Molly Weasley.

"He-he-hello." stuttered Remus shyly.

"Aw, bless you." said Rose. "Lilykins said you'd be shy and maybe a little poorly. Let's feel you."

"Mum!" cried Lily and Petunia in embarrassment as Rose motherly checked Remus' temperature on his forehead, as well as Lily's nickname being publicly spoken.

Severus and Trevor were trying not to laugh. Remus was shier than ever, but soon Rose let him go.

"Normal enough, maybe a tad over normal." diagnosed Rose. "Have a nice vegetable soup."

She offered him a cupful, and Remus, not wanting to seem ungrateful, obliged to the offer, sipping his soup gingerly, and found to his surprise that it tasted delicious.

"T-th-thank you, Mrs E-Evans?" he said.

"Think nothing of it, dear." said Rose sweetly.

Severus chuckled.

I really need to introduce her to Molly Weasley one day, somehow, he thought to himself.

Remus had a good time meeting the Evans family, and he found Petunia an engaging Muggle child and asked her all about the objects in her room, and even asked her if he could borrow one of her Muggle books, full of stories. She was a fan of Agatha Christie stories, and she recommended the one entitled: _Poirot's Early Cases_.

"Thanks, Petunia." said Remus gratefully.

Petunia smiled. "You're welcome, Remus."

Severus and Lily were glad that Petunia was able to bond with another magical child, and she was fascinated by his wand too, which was very different to Lily's and Severus' wands. It had a more circular end where the hand held it, and it also twisted in the middle. It had a peculiar and therefore engaging design.

Soon after, they stayed for dinner, where Severus and Remus once again felt the delicious benefits of Rose's cooking, aided by Petunia, while Lily made herself useful by shuffling the plates. Petunia was definitely the better cook. And Lily didn't mind. If Petunia exceeded her talents at something, then that would make them feel more equal after all.

After that, Severus and Remus bade them all farewell and escorted Remus back to Spinner's End.

"Well, that was nice." said Remus.

"Yep. Went by without a blemish." teased Severus.

"Yeah, except for being prodded and poked by Mrs Evans." said Remus.

"She's just a very maternal woman." smiled Severus. "She was like that with me and my mum after they became friends."

Remus smiled. "Not complaining too much. Pity James, Sirius and Peter are missing this though. It's very…homely here."

Severus didn't like the suggestion of the other three Marauders being house guests too, but he did feel glad that Remus felt quite at home in this new atmosphere…with his new friends.

Soon, they were back at Eileen's house, but as they entered the gate, Severus thought he could hear a voice.

"Sounds like your mother's got company." said Remus.

"But who?" wondered Severus. His grandparents weren't expected until the end of the summer, and the Evans family were all settling down at home.

Severus and Remus quietly entered through the front door and peered into the living room. There, sat on the sofa, hand in hand, were Eileen and a man that Severus didn't know. He was in his mid-forties, similar to his mother, and he was beginning to grey around the sideburns alongside his ears. The rest of his hair was wavy, sleek and brown. He was well built and had a firm look about him, but his eyes were positively burning with affection as he looked at his mother.

Severus didn't like the look of this man at all. And why the hell was he touching his mother's hands and looking at her in that way?

Remus pulled him back.

"I think your mother is dating." he whispered.

Severus cringed. "No…not again…"

Remus frowned. "What?"

"Remus, please…go upstairs and read that book. I need to speak with Mum."

Remus knew he wasn't wanted, nor did he want to be involved in this awkward situation, so he obeyed and went up to read the book.

"This was a lovely afternoon." Eileen was saying.

"And evening." added the man.

"And it ends now." snapped Severus as he entered.

Eileen rose swiftly. "Floo, Robin. Now. See you soon, I'm sorry!"

"Understood." replied Robin politely and he fled through the Floo Network post haste.

"Severus…" began Eileen, but her son cut in.

"Who the devil was that?" he demanded.

"Sit down and calm down, or I shan't tell you anything, young man!" snapped his mother firmly.

Severus flinched and sat down, afraid of what he was about to learn. The man was wearing Muggle clothing…but then he knew about the Floo Network. Was his mother dating a Muggle born?

"Okay…honey, I'm so sorry that you saw what you saw." said Eileen, seating herself beside her son.

"Who was he?" asked Severus as calmly as he could.

"His name is Robin Kennedy." explained Eileen. "He works at Hogsmeade. He has a job at the Hog's Head. I went there with Rose for a day out back when you started at Hogwarts. He's Muggle born and was in Hufflepuff."

"But he works in a shady brewery!" cried Severus. "That's like you trying to date one of Tobias' best friends!"

"He doesn't drink!" insisted Eileen.

"Course he doesn't!" sneered Severus sarcastically.

"He doesn't." insisted Eileen. "Aberforth said as much. Complained that he was willing to take a wage packet, but never spend any of it in the pub himself. And there's that awful Fletcher fellow too. He doesn't like him cos Robin never obliges on his offers to share a pint, and there's a sweet old lady who smells of cats who drinks there, and she always has a good word for him. Robin Kennedy is a very sweet man. And I found that out when he showed interest in me and Rose suggested I get to know him more."

"Mrs Evans knew about this?" asked Severus, agog that Rose never mentioned anything.

"Yes." said Eileen with a small smile. "Without Rose, I don't think I would have managed this new relationship…the last one still haunts me."

"And you really believe that this new one will be any better?" asked Severus dubiously.

"I have no doubt." said Eileen. "And I feel stronger now, especially since this is my chance not to let you down again, ever. And if Robin ever, ever causes either of us any trouble, I will get rid of him, I swear, darling!"

Severus still looked doubtful, but then he thought of how happy Eileen looked. She had suffered so much at the hands of not just one, but two versions of Tobias Snape, and she was finally, with the help of Rose Evans, able to have hope that she could have a real love in her life, a man who could truly love and care for her, no matter what her heritage and abilities were.

Severus didn't want to be so negative about this new occurrence. After all, his mother endured fresh beatings and sufferings in a second life, purely for his own sake, so he could remain able to meet Lily, and reform his past mistakes. He didn't not wish to interfere with her own upcoming happiness.

"If you and Mrs Evans trust him, Mum, then, I'll try to learn to trust him too. I want you happy too." he said meekly.

Eileen smiled. "Thank you, darling. I do trust him. He's treated me so well, and he hopes to find me a job too, maybe at the Three Broomsticks or something."

Severus smiled softly. The idea of meeting his mother in Hogsmeade now and again sounded appealing.

"I hope this all works out, Mum." he said with a smile.

Eileen thanked her son, cuddling him heartily, and then sent him off to re-join Remus in the bedroom, and explain to him that all was well again.

In Heaven, Lily Potter was having a peaceful day. James had gone out with Sirius to go and visit Remus and Tonks. Dumbledore was going to be there too. Lily declined as she had had some guests coming over to her. She invited Tonks, but Tonks politely declined as well as she wished to spend the day with her husband and cousin.

Lily only had two guests coming over without Tonks, but that was plenty for her to have pleasurable company for the day.

Until their arrival, Lily entertained herself by watching over Harry and his family growing together. James Potter Jr had lost his first teeth, Albus Severus was able to walk and play with a toy broom, and Lily Luna was learning to stand on two feet but couldn't quite manage to walk unsupervised yet.

Also, she was watching Severus and the Death Eater families she promised to keep an eye on, but nothing interesting had happened yet.

Severus himself looked very happy. Eileen had given him a proper introduction to Robin Kennedy upon Remus' departure at the end of the week.

Robin was very keen to make an impression on the twelve-year-old and after some severe words of warning from Severus, much to the embarrassed consternation of Eileen, Robin fully assured Severus that he only had Eileen's best interests at heart. In the end, Severus agreed for his mother's sake to give Robin the benefit of the doubt.

Lily approved of that. She couldn't watch Severus' doubts destroy his mother's chances at finding love again. Maybe Robin Kennedy could provide Severus with a father figure to be proud of.

Then, she surveyed the remainder of the holidays for him and her counterpart. The pair of them went to Diagon Alley to get their new supplies for second year, and met with Nora Waynefleet and her friend, Elizabeth Burns for ice cream at Fortescue's. They also met Quincey, Remus and Mary there. Everybody else were either already well supplied or were yet to come to Diagon Alley, leaving it to the last week of the holidays. After a cheerful day together, the friends went their separate ways until they were due back at Hogwarts in less than two weeks.

Lily was just finishing watching Severus and Lily's last dinner with their parents, Septimus and Desdemona when she heard a cheerful and light knock on her door.

"Come in!" she called welcomingly.

In the doorway came to women. One was none other than Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of Rowena and recently arrived resident of Heaven. The second woman looked younger still, and yet with the same wise twinkle in her eyes as her brother had: Ariana Dumbledore.

"Hello, Mrs Potter." said Helena politely.

"Hello, Miss Ravenclaw." replied Lily respectfully.

"How you doing, Lily?" asked the more familiar woman.

"Delightful, thank you, Ariana." said Lily. "Nothing like some nice and quiet girl time."

The other two nodded in agreement. Although all three women could be considered chatty, their idea of quiet time was basically conversation that didn't entail the topics of Quidditch, old Marauder days and regrets of the past, not to mention, lack of a past in Ariana's case.

Ariana was delighted to reunite with her brother, Albus some time ago but it did sometimes frustrate her that to this day, he felt the need to continue apologising for his role in her death. Aberforth had passed on the previous year, and he too begged for forgiveness because he feared being the one whom had struck the fatal blow on her with his wand in the three-way conflict between himself, their brother and Gellert Grindelwald.

Helena was reunited with her mother, whom incidentally, had a rather important place in Heaven. They, in Helena's own words, had a tearful reunion and all was forgiven after a long and hard conversation between mother and daughter. She also accepted that the Bloody Baron was a part of her life and afterlife, despite his terrible sins towards her, he too paid his penance on Earth and Helena had her mother's intelligence, enough so to see that the punishment had fully fit the crime and it was time to move on. The Baron, on the other hand, also felt the need to keep apologising and it gave poor Helena some distress, aching for the solitude offered to her by Ariana after telling her of being friends with a famous witch named Lily Potter, hence their current meeting up together in Lily's heavenly residence.

Lily provided them all with some tea and buns, a favourite, if not quaint concept for elevenses. Lily felt a bit like her sister in that way, but Heaven had that sense of simplistic peace and wondered if perhaps, Petunia's livelihood was not as mundane and wasteful as she had imagined. It would never justify her cruelty to her and Harry, but Lily could see why Petunia didn't want such peace disrupted by the world that rejected her yet expected her to play sentry and host to one of their own, albeit her nephew.

As they ate and drank comfortably, the three ladies exchanged general gossip, then Helena brought up a particular subject.

"How are Dumbledore and that young friend of yours coping in my world?"

"Sev is enjoying the holidays at the moment." replied Lily. "I've been keeping an eye on the Malfoys, the Blacks and the Lestranges in the meantime for him. It was I who told Sev where the diadem was…"

There was a pause here as Helena still felt discomfort on the subject.

"…and now I'm helping him track down the remaining three Horcruxes through those three families."

"What?" gasped Helena and Ariana in unison.

Lily looked puzzled.

"You can't just watch over three families, your son and your best friend 24/7 _as well_ as living your eternity here with your husband. And us, your friends." snapped Ariana.

"But I must." protested Lily. "I promised Sev I would do everything I could to help him make this second life as good as possible. Getting rid of Voldemort is the key to a peaceful life at least."

"But you can't do all that alone!" said Helena. "You'll never get any peace at that rate!"

Lily knew what they said rang true. She did have a lot of responsibility for a dead woman, and James did help when he could, but it was still insufficient to keep her from growing tired and anti-social.

"But then…what can I do?" she asked piteously.

"That's obvious." said Ariana simply. "We'll have to share the job together!"

Lily was surprised.

"You'd want to help?"

"Of course." said Ariana.

"Yes." added Helena earnestly.

"But why?" asked Lily. "Why would you help me secure Sev's happiness? You never knew him."

"I never had much use in life, if anything my biggest accomplishment was killing my mother, and that's one accomplishment I'm not proud of." said Ariana dimly. "But to know I had helped one world be rid of the Darkest Wizard of all time, that would feel like I achieved something good!"

Lily understood this perspective. She only managed her most major accomplishment in dying to save Harry, and as she loved her son beyond compare, that was enough for her. It was just saddening to know she had to die to do this.

"And I still feel some responsibility for Voldemort's uprising." explained Helena. "If I hadn't trusted him…anyway, I feel that to fully redeem myself, I must do the clever thing and be of help to be rid of Voldemort once and for all. As a Ravenclaw and a wiser woman in death than I ever was in life, I am only too happy to oblige in helping you fight Voldemort with your friend. And, I owe him for destroying that cursed tiara!"

Lily smiled understandingly.

"Thank you both so much!" she said happily.

"No problem at all, Lily." said Ariana, embracing her new friend. "I'll keep an eye on the Malfoys."

"I'll watch the Lestranges." volunteered Helena.

"And I'll stick to the Blacks and look in on Severus and Harry from time to time still, of course." concluded Lily.

"Naturally." replied her two new good friends in unison.

And so, it was arranged.

Lily soon bade them farewell and awaited James' return. He would be very relieved to hear she would be sleeping better tonight, with 66.6% worth of stress and determination lifted from her shoulders.

 **(Here's Chapter 26. I hope you all like it. Eileen's secret is out, and Lily (Potter) has some helping hands! Chapter 27 coming soon! Thanks for reading, please review!)**


	27. Chapter 27: Regulus Black

**Chapter 27: Regulus Black**

It was dark by the time the Hogwarts Express pulled into the Hogsmeade station. Severus and Lily had finished their summer holidays pleasantly and were very keen to return to school and begin their second year. They had been joined by Quincey and Mary. Remus had gone to join James' social group and learn what he could about Regulus' visit.

The four friends saw Hagrid waving over to the first years to follow him to the boats. Severus knew that he and the others were due to go on the coaches this time, seemingly moving by themselves, but in fact were being pulled by Thestrals. Severus wasn't sure whether or not he would be able to see the Thestrals. He had seen many a death in his former life. Hell, he'd even encountered a lot of death-related events in his new life, such as Helena and the Bloody Baron's passing to Heaven, Lily Potter in the Resurrection Stone, the destruction of Voldemort's fragmented chunks of soul, Professor Reynolds' death outside the castle and of course, his own father's death in that cursed pub. But would any of these things, including the deaths he had seen and caused in his past life, affect his vision of the Thestrals now? He was admittedly afraid to find out.

Severus and Lily were led by Frank Longbottom, now a fifth year and to everyone's delight, a prefect, to the coaches. Severus rounded the bend and saw…nothing. He couldn't see the Thestrals. As far as he and Lily were concerned, the coaches would be moving on their own, as if by magic.

Severus felt some warmth and relief. Despite his memories, the magic of the Thestrals didn't affect him. This enhanced the feeling that he was being granted a second chance, very positively. But his relief was swiftly dashed by the future. He felt certain that one day, maybe sooner than he thinks, he will see death again…he could only hope that that death would be Voldemort's.

"Come on, Sev!" called Lily. She had gone ahead to board a coach, supported by the taller Frank.

Severus followed, politely rejecting Frank's help for a lift. Mary and Quincey joined the coach too, while Frank joined Alice whom was waiting for him. As Severus and Lily sat beside each other, quite comfortably, they were interrupted by the sound of arguing voices.

"Come and join us, Regulus." came the drawling voice of the now sixth year, Lucius Malfoy.

"Did you not hear me, Lucius?" snapped Sirius' voice. "He was quite comfortable with me!"

Severus inhaled deeply before leaning out the door and peering round to see Sirius and Malfoy in a stand-off, wands drawn. To make matters worse, James and Peter were sat with Remus on one of the coaches behind them, and James looked ready to pounce into action.

"I will not have Regulus be corrupted by you and your Muggle loving tendencies!" sneered Malfoy.

"He's my brother! Not yours! Back off!" shouted Sirius.

Malfoy disarmed Sirius and hit him with the Tickling Jinx, forcing Sirius to keel over trying not to succumb to the forceful laughter.

Frank advanced onto the scene and disarmed Malfoy.

"If Regulus and Sirius wanted to travel to the school together, then they should have been able to do so without your input, Malfoy!" said Frank severely, his wand still raised.

"Regulus is my family too!" snarled Malfoy, annoyed at being caught off guard like this.

"Sirius is his immediate family." replied Frank. "His elder brother, and did Regulus object to sitting with his brother on the train?"

"No, he didn't." panted Sirius, whom had recovered by now.

"Then I should say that's that." said Frank satisfactorily.

Malfoy went to collect his wand, but after doing so, he marched up defiantly to Sirius once more.

"He will be in Slytherin, Sirius." sneered Malfoy. "He's a good boy. He always has been, according to his parents. He won't be like you. He will be a perfect Slytherin, on the right course. The course that will lead the Wizarding World out of the Dark Ages and back to its full glory, above and beyond all of those filthy Mudblood folk-"

"Get lost, Malfoy, or it's detention!" insisted Frank. "And James, put that wand away. This doesn't concern you!"

James reluctantly stashed his wand away. Malfoy shrugged, and strode off to a coach, confident he got his point across.

"Oh, and by the way, fifty points from Slytherin for wrongfully attacking a student, as well as the use of a prohibited word." called Frank.

Malfoy's lip curled with fury before he boarded his coach and rode away.

"Bloody Malfoy." sneered Sirius as Frank checked him to see if he was okay.

"We'll teach him, Siri." assured James.

"Not on my watch." said Frank sternly. "Lucius Malfoy is a prefect and a sixth year. You two are only just beginning second year. And Malfoy won't hesitate with you over your age. He's already trying to estrange your brother from you, Sirius. Don't take the bait and push Regulus into choosing him over you to be close with."

Sirius and James nodded grimly, then they caught sight of Severus and his group watching and they called out, "Later."

If Frank was puzzled by this, he didn't show it. He simply shut the door on the Marauders' coach and let it ride away, followed by Severus and Lily's coach, and he joined Alice once more on her coach.

Severus was worried. If Regulus was sorted into Slytherin, he would be faced with countless amounts of people to bestow prejudice and Muggle-hating pride upon him, which would make him ultimately choose between his brother and what was expected from him.

He voiced these concerns to Lily, Mary and Quincey.

"But if things over the holidays went well, he'll have lots of positive things to counter the Slytherins' claims." said the latter.

"Exactly." said Mary. "We just need to keep Regulus close, and hopefully through him, we can make other Slytherins see sense and become a more fluid and agreeable House. Imagine that! House unity all round, all friends, well…nearly."

"That's the plan." agreed Lily.

Severus nodded. He still wasn't sure. His fellow Slytherins in his past life were so persuasive and so contagious, that he became too much alike with them; to the point that he used their language and prejudice to lose Lily. He had to make sure somehow that Regulus didn't make his mistakes with his brother.

Lily, Mary and Quincey were enjoying the ride up to Hogwarts on the carriages, though Lily missed the beautiful view of the castle from the lake, and she missed Hagrid's company. She hoped to get an invite to visit his hut later in the school week.

Severus was wondering if Dumbledore had any news for him that he didn't need Lily Potter's help with. He also wondered if he used the Stone as much as Severus does to contact his long dead family. He decided not to bring up such a sensitive subject unless the information was bestowed to him.

Soon, the Thestrals stopped outside the grounds and the students disembarked. They were ahead of the first years, who likely hadn't even gotten into the boats yet – Regulus among them.

Severus, Lily and the others were soon led by their prefects into the Great Hall after entering the castle.

The Hall was just the same as it had been the previous year, only this time, they would be watching the Sorting and not partaking in it. This relived a lot of stress for Severus and Lily, but they still were wondering how things would turn out with Regulus.

After being seated for fifteen minutes, the Great Hall door opened again, and the first years entered the Hall, whilst the Sorting Hat was put in place before them. Regulus was looking confident, glancing at the Slytherin table with evident keenness.

The Sorting Hat broke into song, and for a few moments, Severus, Lily and their friends smiled contentedly and listened to the cheerful song.

After the Hat's singing ceased, the students applauded, and the first years tried to hide their own trepidation. Regulus was looking more upbeat than the rest of them, but also glanced towards Sirius with some uncertainty.

Sirius could see the conflict in his brother's eyes, but he knew what to do in the worst case scenario: if Regulus is Sorted into Slytherin, then he will do his best to keep him close, and involve him with his friends. This would help them to retain their sibling bond, in spite of the bitter rivalry between the Houses.

McGonagall stood with her scroll of names, and the Sorting Hat sat beside her, ready to be placed on the first student's head. Severus paid little to no attention to the first two names, both of which were Sorted into Hufflepuff, but then Regulus' name was called.

There was distinctive hissing from the tables, but Sirius bellowed: "SHUT IT!"

The hisses and murmurs ceased, and the students recollected that at least one Black was in the 'decent' House, and not the notorious one. They silently wondered if Sirius was banking vainly on his younger brother being with him in Gryffindor.

Regulus tentatively stepped forward, growing all the more uncomfortable by the unwelcoming reception and the defensiveness of his brother. McGonagall placed the Hat on his head, and after a few seconds, the Hat called out:

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table cheered, and Regulus, not exactly disappointed, paced over to join Malfoy, blissfully unaware of the conflict about him that took place in Hogsmeade.

Sirius looked sadly at his brother as he was patted on the book proudly by Malfoy, and wondered if his brother would be forced into becoming a lost cause. But then, as James rubbed his back consolingly, Sirius saw Regulus looking over to him, with a look that showed that he was hoping that this would not come between them.

Severus recalled that look, for the whole of his first year, Regulus hoped to regain his brother's care for him, before becoming fully embittered by Sirius' open hostility towards him and insults, such as "Snivelly's Snotty Friend."

But looking at Sirius now, Severus saw the second year wink softly to his brother, and in return, Regulus gave a tight, small smile, showing his appreciation that their relationship was still intact.

The rest of the Sorting dragged along, and after Georgina Zelner was Sorted into Gryffindor, the students waited impatiently for Dumbledore to announce the Feast.

As they dug into their meals, Severus' consisting of roast beef, with barbecue sauce and a sticky toffee pudding to follow, Lily nudged his back, where he had his back to her whilst eating.

"Looks like they found a replacement for Reynolds." she said quietly.

Severus looked up. Sat between Hagrid and Professor Flitwick was a woman with blonde hair and dressed in fabulously woven robes of grassy green. He recognised her, and recalled that she left Hogwarts after a successful year of good teaching. Unlike Reynolds, she left unscathed as she only agreed to teach for the one year due to needing to travel to North America to do research on vampires and hags there.

The woman was introduced after the feast.

"I would like to introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year, Professor Millburn." announced Dumbledore.

The crowd applauded respectfully, if not a bit too enthusiastically: Professor Millburn was a very attractive woman.

Severus showed no interest, and surprisingly neither did Quincey. James and Sirius on the other hand were wolf-whistling amongst the applause, leading to Lily, Mary, Marlene and Rebecca to roll their eyes. Severus noticed that Rebecca and Marlene were also turning red and trying to suppress enraged and jealous expressions.

Later, Dumbledore sent the students off to bed, and Sirius and Regulus managed a quick embrace before being separated to go to their dormitories, and Malfoy gave Sirius a cold and triumphant smirk.

"Sod him." said James.

"Yeah, we'll show him that you and Regulus have a stronger bond." said Remus.

"And we can begin the companionship…thing." added Peter.

Severus and Lily smiled encouragingly too.

Sirius felt relieved by the support of his friends and hoped that Regulus would be able to see past the Slytherin and Black family's prejudicial views. Lily would be the hardest to get on with as she was a Muggle-born, as was Quincey. Nobody except James, Sirius and Severus knew about Remus, so that would be harder for Regulus to worry about.

The friends separated and went to bed, looking forward to a new term. Severus went to bed with Quincey in tow, thinking of how he would fare with not just befriending people from other Houses, but also of how he would progress with Dumbledore in taking down Voldemort. But if luck was on side, he would have news from Lily by Halloween.

The first couple of weeks back to class proved to be a challenge already. Severus, Lily and their friends found that the classes were a lot more difficult, and the homework had increased in word counts for their essays. McGonagall began showing them how to transfigure small animals, and Lily found to her dismay that by the end of the term, she would be expected to practice her Transfiguration skills on Gabriel.

Severus had to agree with the others that Professor Jodie Millburn was a very efficient teacher and helped them all to perfect the Tickling Hex within a couple of lessons. Even the likes of Mulciber and Avery proved capable under Millburn's teachings. Rumour from Frank and Alice suggested that most of the Slytherins in general approved of Millburn. But then, according to Alice, this was mostly due to her natural beauty and the poor professor was receiving a lot of jeers, notes and wolf-whistles from not just Slytherin boys but from Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws as well. This piece of news prompted James and Sirius to tone down their exaggerated passions, which at the ages of twelve wasn't really in earnest anyway.

Severus did note however that James was looking in Lily's direction a fair amount, but then he also did the same to Rebecca Castle, whom noticed most cheerfully.

As for getting closer to Regulus, Sirius visited his brother in the library after the first week ended, and in his rather uncharacteristic way that Regulus had noticed over the holidays, offered for Regulus to join him and his friends in a study session over the weekend. Regulus declined but asked if the offer would stand on the second weekend. Sirius heartily agreed.

And so, after the second week of classes ended, with Mandrakes being potted with Sprout, frogs being turned into sauce dishes with McGonagall, and the promise of learning the Disarming Charm from Millburn, the friends prepared to have their first combined gathering with Regulus.

Madam Pince frowned darkly as the whole group, consisting of Severus, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Quincey, Mary and Peter entered the library. Initially, Marlene and Rebecca were invited, as were Nora and Elizabeth, but they all declined as they were busy with homework that needed individual attention. Lily understood in Marlene and Rebecca's cases, as they were both rather slothful with homework and tended to leave it until the last minute.

As the group sat amidst two long tables, they waited patiently for Regulus.

After five minutes, Regulus entered the room, but he wasn't alone. He was being escorted by another Slytherin student. Severus didn't recognise her. She was a girl with black hair, but with a shy expression and no hint of Pure-blood tendencies of smugness and superiority.

This girl could be a symbol of how not all Slytherin students can be so bad, as well as Regulus, thought Severus.

Regulus and the girl sat down.

"You don't mind if Melody joins us?" asked Regulus to Sirius nervously.

"No, I don't think so." reassured Sirius, looking to the others.

"Not at all, Melody." said Lily kindly. "All students from all Houses are welcome. But perhaps we should explain why this has been arranged, aside from studying and doing our homework."

Regulus and the still nervous Melody sat down. Regulus now looked suspicious at the ulterior motives.

"We're here…" began Lily, "…to try and form a group and eventually a regular routine across Hogwarts in maintaining unity between the Houses."

Melody looked up, with a hopeful twinkle in her chocolate brown eyes.

Regulus raised an eyebrow, glancing at his brother, whom only nodded to him with a firm lip.

"It was my idea, originally, so perhaps I should start with the introductions." said Quincey, feeling nervous about taking a leader-like step, but as a second year, he did feel slightly more responsible over Regulus and Melody.

"Go ahead." said Severus to his friend encouragingly.

"Okay, um…my name is Quincey Arnolds. I'm a second year in Ravenclaw House. I am Muggle-born and-"

"WHAT?!" bellowed Regulus.

"Reg. Don't be an arse. Just sit down!" barked Sirius roughly, back to his typical self that Regulus had been used to the previous year.

"Why?" snapped Regulus. "So, you could try and use your friends to make me a disgrace to Mum and Dad, just like you? I should have known that you didn't care about me enough!"

"That's not how it works at all!" yelled Sirius in denial.

"Regulus…please just sit down and we will be honest." said Lily as kindly as possible. But she was restraining herself from getting flippant at his clear signs of blood racism.

Regulus scoffed, but then noticed that his friend, Melody looked horrified and upset.

"What is it?" he asked. "You're not…a Mudblood sympathiser?"

"DON'T EVER SAY THAT AGAIN!" bellowed Severus and Sirius in furious unison.

Regulus recoiled and turned back to his brother.

"Is this why you invited me to the Potter house? You told our parents that they shared the Black family's views and then I saw that they were more friendly about them than you made out…you were trying to turn me into a Mud- Muggle lover!"

"We want you to not be like them!" said Sirius earnestly. "You see how they act. Shrieking about how filthy and perverted and unworthy Muggles, Muggle-borns and Half-bloods and half breeds are! Do you really not see anything wrong with that? I see the way you look at that forsaken elf, Kreacher when he is punished. If you can't stomach seeing a house elf suffer, how do you think you'd like to see a human being, no matter their bloodline, being tortured, enslaved or killed by the people our parents approve of? People like Voldemort!"

Regulus frowned at the most recent memory of the torturings of the house elf mentioned. His favourite elf in the House of Black at Grimmauld Place was Kreacher, and he sometimes made mistakes. The most recent one was jumping in surprise when his master, Orion Black bellowed at Sirius suddenly for neglecting a chore out of spite, and he accidentally dropped Walburga Black's morning coffee. He was resultantly beaten by Orion personally. Regulus played witness and he was horrified. He had a close friendship with Kreacher and he was powerless to help him.

"See?" said Sirius. "You don't like the treatment of house elves…you and I aren't that different, Reg. I don't like how our parents speak of Muggles and witches and wizards lesser than pure blood. I truly can't imagine you condoning Voldemort's plans for them. House elves are one thing, but people, Reg. Think of that! Do you really want to watch them suffer like that? Worse than what Kreacher gets?"

Regulus knew deep down that Sirius had a point, a valid one for once. But he still couldn't face the idea of associating with Muggle-borns immediately.

"Just let us introduce ourselves, Regulus." said Severus calmly. "Then maybe once you get to know us, you can surpass the whole elitist thing going through your head right now."

"Are _any_ of you Pure-bloods?" asked Regulus desperately.

"I am, as you know." said James. "Your brother and I are best friends clearly, but we associate with other people who aren't Pure Blood. Mary here is also Pure-blood, but she and her family are, as you would likely call, blood traitors. Not that we agree on that term. Peter is too, and I don't know about you, Remus?"

"Yes, I'm Pure-blood…or…"

Remus couldn't continue, knowing he was no longer pure, but was rather a Dark half-breed. He didn't want the others to know. James, Sirius and Severus understood, but Regulus had a suspicious expression at Remus' hesitation.

"And the rest?"

"Quincey and Lily are Muggle-born." continued Sirius. "And Severus is Half-blood, but his mother is from the Prince family."

"The family that have gone bonkers about blood rights?" asked Regulus with interest.

"Not bonkers. They were enlightened!" snarled Severus.

"Enlightened how?" asked Regulus doubtfully.

Severus took this opportunity to introduce himself properly, and explained about his mother and father, how his father died, but he did not elaborate the major details about it or their backstory. Then he told of how his mother reunited with his grandparents, and how the reunion made Septimus and Desdemona see sense that Muggles and Half-bloods weren't all bad and how they befriended Lily's family. Lily then introduced herself properly and spoke of her background too. The cycle continued. Regulus listened patiently, but couldn't help twitching at Quincey and Lily's introductions, and he felt certain that Remus was hiding something.

Severus could tell that Regulus had suspicions, but he was saved by another revelation during Melody's introduction.

"H-hi." she said timidly. "I'm Melody…and I'm…I'm…"

"Yes?" asked Mary encouragingly. She found it odd to be talking nicely and encouragingly to a Slytherin.

Melody was looking at Regulus in fear. Regulus didn't understand why, but Severus did in his shrewdness.

"You're a Muggle-born?" he asked.

Sobbing now, Melody nodded.

"But that can't be!" cried Regulus. "You said you were from the Rowle family!"

Melody shook her head miserably.

"I'm a Royale." she said. "R-O-Y-A-L-E. I'm from a Muggle London family. You assumed it to be one of those Pure-blood family, Rowle. R-O-W-L-E. I took advantage of that cos nobody else on the table seemed to want to talk to me, and you were so nice…I heard on the train about how Slytherin House hates Muggles like me and want to…to pulverise them. I had to lie about who I am to be safe in my own House. When I was Sorted into the House which is famous for hating anyone below pure Wizarding blood, I was so scared…"

Severus felt bad that he hadn't noticed Melody's distress at the Sorting, but clearly nobody else did either. Except-

"I assumed you were nervous, like me." said Regulus dimly. "I was afraid too. So, I spoke to you and then we hit it off…and now…"

Regulus looked at Melody with shame. She was crying, looking pale and beyond terrified that he was going to reveal her true identity as a Muggle-born to their fellow Slytherins. He felt ashamed that he frightened her so much.

"I'm sorry, Mel." he said quietly.

Melody and Sirius looked to him in surprise.

"I cared enough to speak to you…and we have really hit off since then. These past two weeks may not have been so great without you around." he admitted.

Severus suddenly saw a lot of himself in Regulus at this moment. Melody was a much more emotional parody of Lily, but their relationship was almost mirrored. Severus hoped that Regulus would not lose his new friend because of the prejudices of blood purity being too strong within him. He would make sure he didn't, along with Sirius and Lily by his side.

"I'm sorry." continued Regulus. "I'll try to…I'll try to be okay with it…but I've been raised this way for so long. But I don't want to end our friendship! I swear, you're a great friend, and you still are despite my finding out about your blood status."

Melody shook her head.

"You won't see me the same…we're too different now."

"Give your friendship a chance, Melody." said Lily sweetly. "If Regulus is willing to join our group of friends with you, despite what he's learned…maybe you can help him see the benefits of Muggle-borns. You, me and the others can show him what we can do! We will make him proud to call you his friend…all of us."

Melody wiped her tears, sniffled and nodded, and Lily kindly hugged her.

"We'll be your friends too, Mel." she whispered, as though she were addressing a little sister.

Severus had almost forgotten how mature Lily could be when helping out a friend in need, despite her short temper, and to see his new Lily portray that wondrous quality now, it warmed his heart and he smiled.

"What ya say, Reg?" asked Sirius. "Willing to give our group a shot?"

Regulus paused, glancing at his new friend hugging Lily and how welcoming the others looked, then addressed his brother after inhaling deeply.

"Well, I suppose so. After all, I don't trust Mel in the hands of someone like you, big brother."

James laughed, and Sirius poked his brother's chest.

"Showing a sense of humour? I'll take that as a compliment!" he retorted.

Severus smiled. Not just one, but two Slytherins were now part of their social group and with their slowly but growing friendships, they were a step closer to bringing House unity to Hogwarts.

 **(Chapter 27 done! Sorry for the long wait! Chapter 28 hopefully coming sooner. Please read and review! Thank you!)**


	28. Chapter 28: Halloween with More Friends

**Chapter 28: The Halloween with More Friends**

Regulus and Melody Royale's initiation into Severus' already extensive social group had a fair few ups and downs as September rolled in then out into October. Regulus still couldn't kick the habit of addressing Half-bloods as filthy and Muggle-borns as Mudbloods. But every time he did, he received a smack from Mary, a retort from Lily, a whimper from Melody and a clout round the head from Sirius.

Severus couldn't help but feel some sadness and jealousy that Lily was still willing to tolerate and keep up the plan to befriend Regulus, when all it took was one pronunciation of 'Mudblood' to lose the old Lily. But then he recollected that this Lily was more patient and more genuine a friend. That was one change in between the two Lilys' personalities that Severus was eternally grateful to the Higher Ones for.

He also had less time to be obliged to be close to James and Sirius as the days passed as both Gryffindors had signed up for try-outs for their Quidditch team. As Severus knew, both boys passed their try-outs with great success and pure talent, and became Chasers.

As October reached its mid-point, Severus and Lily visited Hagrid. The whole group made an effort to visit the gamekeeper at least once a month, and as they came in pairs or in trios, Hagrid had more visits in one month than he could have asked for. He was always happy to make the children welcome, a bit too welcome as far as they were concerned, when it came to food. His rock cakes were practically just rock, and his toffees were like quick-drying cement. However, Lily, being the most patient, always obliged to indulge herself to Hagrid's treats and was nevertheless always happy to receive the kindly half-giant's hospitality.

Severus remained distant with Regulus, to give the latter space to fit in of his own accord, but at every turn, he stopped Regulus from doing or saying something that would ultimately leave him alone, without Melody as a friend and left to the Slytherins who had no doubt in their minds about joining Voldemort. Regulus did admit secretly to Melody that he didn't like the idea of anyone dying or getting tortured, having watched the latter occur to Sirius and Kreacher multiple times. He felt that he did have a lot of his brother's capacity for empathy within him, but it would take time for him to adopt it as a stronger part of himself, than the personality that his parents expected of him.

"What if they disown me and blast my name off the Black family tree?" he asked nervously. "Sirius is already on his way to having that done to himself."

"I don't think Sirius is bothered by that." said Melody. "Hasn't he always been against your parents' principles?"

"Yes, though he's been too small and timid to argue…until he became a Gryffindor. Now, he thinks he is brave and strong enough to resist them, but if he carries on, he'll get beaten black and blue, then disowned for good measure." replied Regulus grimly. "I just…I just don't know how he seems perfectly at ease with it all."

"Because he doesn't love your parents as you do." said Melody deeply.

"I guess." agreed Regulus. "I don't want to lose them, Mel. If I lose the Black family, I have nothing."

"No." said Melody insistently. "You'll have your brother, I'll be here too; as long as you're nice…and if this goes well, you'll have this whole group who want to bring peace to the Houses. If your parents don't see the greatness in that cause, then maybe they're not worth bothering about."

Regulus considered those words. Melody had a fair point, but he also could not bring himself to believe that his parents were unworthy of him, instead of the other way around.

"As I said, Mel…this will take some time."

"And I'll be waiting patiently." said Melody assuredly.

Severus was watching the whole exchange. He sympathised with Regulus greatly. He knew how difficult making friends with people he didn't like was. He still had some trepidation and distrust for the Marauders, bar Remus. But he was powering on through it, and he would ensure that Regulus did the same.

But fitting in wasn't the only issue for Regulus. He had difficulty getting on with Lily and Quincey, and he also couldn't help but feel different around Melody, although he kept quiet about her blood heritage. But they were actually the least of his worries. He still had very strong suspicions about Remus. He was certain that the second-year Gryffindor was keeping a secret from the rest of the group, not just him. Regulus wanted to confront him about it but was sure that it would be a pointless endeavour. He also considered speaking to one of the group about it, but he was not close enough to them to be taken seriously in his concerns. He didn't even turn to his brother, as he could see quite clearly that Sirius was good friends with Remus.

Severus could see Regulus was getting curious, and privately went to see James and Sirius about it, much to his own discomfort.

"I think Regulus is trying to figure out Remus' condition." he forewarned.

"Like we did." said James forebodingly.

"We'll just have to divert his attention when we meet." said Sirius.

"But he can still get curious on his own time." argued Severus. "And as we're not in Slytherin, we cannot access him to make him forget about it with distractions. He might either figure it out by checking the lunar chart, or noticing Remus always disappears around the time of the full moon. Or worse…"

None of them wanted to think of the possibility Severus was alluding to, but nevertheless had to take it into consideration.

"We could tell him the truth?" suggested James.

"He's my brother and I still don't trust him with that information in confidence, plus we promised Remus and Dumbledore that we'd never breathe a word." replied Sirius.

"We need to find a way of keeping track of him." said Severus. "A way to know where he is, all the time, especially around the time of the full moon."

Severus was trying to instigate the idea of the Marauders Map into the heads of James and Sirius. He didn't know if it was earlier, later or at the right time to spring the thought, but now was as good a time as any. They needed the Map to make sure Regulus did not run into Remus at his worst, Wolfsbane or no Wolfsbane.

"That sounds like a good idea…if only we could find something that did just that." said James in a conspiring voice.

That made Severus see he had done his job. Sirius looked deep in thought too.

"We'll keep an eye on Reg for now. You as well, Severus. Hopefully, he won't voice his suspicions to anybody else either. In the meantime, though, James and I will do some brainstorming."

"For what?" asked Severus innocently.

"You'll see…we hope." replied James with a grin on his face.

Halloween came a couple of weeks later. Remus had transformed twice since returning to Hogwarts and was recovered nicely. He and the others were excited about the Halloween feast and celebrations. Mary was even sporting an exaggeratedly purple and spider-web covered witch's hat for the feast. She had fashioned it with Lily's help after learning of the Muggle tradition of children dressing up on Halloween.

Severus joined the group at the feast and as part of their unity plan, they all gathered at the edge of the Gryffindor table, inviting Regulus and Melody to do the same. This was a big step considering that they would be seen by the whole school, and people like Lucius Malfoy would not take this development sitting down.

This was proven correct when as Regulus and Melody sat down at the Gryffindor table with the others, Lucius Malfoy immediately rose from his seat and marched over defiantly.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he hissed viciously.

"Nobody here has invited you to join us, Malfoy." snapped Sirius. "So why don't you just take a hike?"

"You're joining up with these worthless bits of filth, Regulus?" snarled Malfoy, completely ignoring Sirius.

"He's my brother." replied Regulus dimly.

"Yes, and like it or not, he betrayed you and your family, the family I will soon be marrying into with Narcissa after we graduate!"

At that point, Malfoy was joined by the fourth year and alternate version of Narcissa Black, soon to be Narcissa Malfoy.

"And you don't want anything to disgrace the name of Malfoy by marrying a Black whose just as malicious as you? Boo-hoo!" sneered Sirius.

"Shut up! Reg, come back to the Slytherin table. Now!"

"I-I-I just want to be with Sirius!" cried Regulus, trying not to cry. "Is that so much to ask? Cissy, what if Bellatrix suddenly turned against the Dark Lord-"

"HA!" laughed Sirius.

"Or what if Andromeda suddenly decided she wanted to be friends with Mudbloods in Hufflepuff?" continued Regulus, failing to omit the common nickname. "Would you seriously find it so easy to estrange yourself from them?"

Severus knew full well that Narcissa and Andromeda did indeed estrange from each other after the former married the Muggle, Ted Tonks and had the Half-blood daughter, Nymphadora Tonks. But he also knew that it was harder on Narcissa as she loved her sister deeply but was too loyal to the Dark side to resist the estrangement by much. Andromeda knew this but could no longer contact Narcissa in any way as a result. Severus wondered if the sisters would reunite after Voldemort's death in the past universe, unaware that Bellatrix killed Tonks and therefore made reuniting next to impossible.

"If I had to, yes." replied Narcissa, though she looked very hesitant in her reply.

"Leave them be." said a voice.

Andromeda Black, a sixth year Slytherin prefect came up, and due to this gathering dispute, Professors McGonagall and Slughorn stepped over too.

"If Regulus wants to be with his brother, let him." said Andromeda. "Besides, Lucius, for all you know, he just wants to see if he can get Sirius to see sense."

Andromeda winked to Sirius swiftly, so nobody would notice. Unbeknown to most, Andromeda approved of Sirius' branched out outlook on Wizarding life. Sirius liked her most out of his whole family for this reason, though Regulus was now attempting to level with her in that sense.

"Fine." said Lucius, under the fierce gaze of McGonagall and the gentle pull of Narcissa on his arm. "But don't get any fancies in your head that your brother can be saved, Reg. And don't let him take you in with his delusions."

That was the best he could say with the whole Great Hall watching, particularly Dumbledore.

As the three Slytherins returned to their table, and Sirius proudly patted Regulus' back consolingly, Severus looked over to Dumbledore. The Headmaster smiled and tilted his head upwards, discretely telling Severus to join him in his office after the feast.

After everyone had eaten, the students made their way to bed, and Severus made an excuse to Quincey that he fancied one more pumpkin pie from the kitchens and made his way to Dumbledore's office.

After being permitted to enter, Dumbledore smiled politely to his guest.

"Good evening, Severus." he said.

"Headmaster." replied Severus with a nod.

"Have you any news to share?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, though not fully related to our anti-Voldemort plans." replied Severus.

"Oh, then you must be referring to your efforts to create full union of the four Houses. A splendid idea, and a noble effort, Mr Prince."

"Um, thank you, sir."

After that, Severus asked if Dumbledore had learned anything significant.

"I only know that Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange have married and I find it safe to assume that they have joined the ranks of the Death Eaters." said Dumbledore. "As they are new and yet to fully prove their worth to Voldemort, I doubt he has entrusted them with the Cup of Hufflepuff yet."

Severus had to agree. For all he knew, Voldemort only gave Bellatrix the Cup to put in her Gringotts vault during the Second Wizarding War.

"I might have more news after using the…the Stone?" said Severus hintingly.

"Of course. I shall be in my quarters." said Dumbledore cheerfully, placing the Stone itself on his desk before rising from his seat and departing to his quarters.

Fawkes remained on his perch, with his head tucked into his feathers, dead to the world.

Severus ignored him, waited for the door to Dumbledore's quarters above to close, then he turned the Stone thrice in his hand.

With a soft breeze, Severus was eye to eye with Lily Potter once more.

"Hey, Sev." said Lily with a sad tone.

"Hey, Lils." smiled Severus.

"I can't help feeling more and more sorrowful whenever we meet." sighed Lily.

"Why?"

"You always have a thought of how the new Lily Evans is so much better than me as a friend…and you're right. I wish I could have gone back, not to be the woman in your life, but to have proven my worth as your best friend."

"You're doing that now." assured Severus.

"But…you still think ill of me in comparison to your…true Lily."

"I'm sorry, Lils…I just sometimes wish things that are going the way they are here had happened back there and then too, then you and I may have suffered less."

"It's my fault. I should have realized your love for me…and how I was the only thing stopping you from completely turning Dark. I didn't realize until it was too late…and I am so sorry."

"Me too…for everything you've gone through and are still going through." murmured Severus.

The two best of friends kept silent.

"I told you before, Lily. The Lily I am with now may be a better friend, but she is hopefully going to be my soulmate. _You_ are my best friend. If it wasn't for you, I would never have known love or friendship in the first place. I wouldn't be here now. And I love you, as a best friend, for that. So please, no matter what I think on a whim of jealousy or regret, know that I will never think of you as a lesser person. You'll always be my best friend ever."

"And you mine." smiled Lily tearfully.

A few more minutes passed until Severus got to the topic at hand, glad the emotional part was over.

"So…have you any news on the Horcruxes for me?" he asked.

"Sadly no." said Lily.

"You didn't miss anything, I hope." said Severus. "Although…it is a bit much to ask you to spy on three families just to help me…you should be enjoying your Heaven. Your paradise and instead you're exhausting yourself for my sake."

"Actually, Sev, that's where you're wrong." smiled Lily knowingly.

"Huh?"

"Roll the Stone again, wish to see the people helping me." winked Lily.

"Helping you?"

"Do it, Sev!"

Severus conceded and rolled the Stone round, and then he saw two more women standing on either side of Lily. He knew one of them to be Helena Ravenclaw, formerly Ravenclaw's ghost, the Grey Lady. She looked much happier and at peace, and gave a very kindly smile to Severus himself. The second woman looked like she had aged into maturity after her death, judging by the similarity she had in the book, _The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore._ It was Ariana Dumbledore.

"You two…are helping Lily to…help…me?" he asked, flabbergasted.

"You seem surprised." chuckled Helena. "You helped me find peace."

"And I'm really doing it more for the Albus Dumbledore of this world." explained Ariana. "I want to prove my worth in at least one world."

Ariana and Helena explained for Lily all about how they came to an alliance in watching one family each: The Blacks, the Lestranges and the Malfoys. Each family would be connected to a Horcrux and each woman watching them would obtain knowledge of either the locket, the cup or the diary.

"Once we all find a Horcrux, we will tell you." said Lily.

"And then you can end Voldemort at last." said Ariana.

"And peace will come to this world." added Helena.

Severus was very happy that Lily wasn't sacrificing as much of her time as he had thought, and their two new allies were more than happy to partake in Voldemort's downfall.

"You really think I can do it?" he asked shyly and worriedly. He still had self-doubt.

"I know you can, Sev." Lily winked with a smile of encouragement.

"Thank you, Lils…and you as well, Miss Ravenclaw, Miss Dumbledore."

"Call me Helena."

"Call me Ariana."

They said those words in unison, and Lily laughed, and Severus smiled.

"So…I shall see you guys again after Christmas and New Year's?" asked Severus.

"Yeah, definitely." confirmed Lily.

Severus smiled. "Have a happy Christmas."

"Puh-lease, Sev." laughed Lily. "If we wanted, it could be a Happy Christmas every day! Just make sure you have a lovely time and keep up this idea for House Unity. It's wonderful! Just give Regulus some time."

Severus nodded knowing full well he would have to employ the skills of patience he adopted over the years as Dumbledore's spy.

"See you soon, Lily. Helena, Ariana."

"Until 1973, Severus." said Helena and Ariana before fading.

"Till then, Sev." whispered Lily happily.

Severus dropped the Stone, and Fawkes raised his head, screeching quietly, and on cue, Dumbledore emerged from his quarters.

Severus smiled. Fawkes was as crafty as his master, or was it equal?

Severus soon relayed all that had happened and had been said to Dumbledore. The latter was very intrigued and a little overwhelmed emotionally that Ariana was involved.

"Now I feel that the war with Voldemort is more personal, knowing my sister, or at least one version of my sister is involved. Sadly, we still have no information on the location of the remaining three Horcruxes."

"We will soon, I hope." said Severus.

"Perhaps." said Dumbledore. "But Regulus and Lucius Malfoy are still at Hogwarts. And Bellatrix has only just joined Voldemort. None of them can be trusted by Voldemort yet…it could be long after you graduate Hogwarts before we learn of the remaining Horcruxes' locations."

"Then all we can do until the time comes, is wait, sir." said Severus with a tone that reminded him of himself back in his days as a spy.

Dumbledore nodded gazing at his young student deeply with his piercing blue eyes, before smiling and gesturing to the door.

"Have a good rest of the term, Mr Prince." he said cheerily. "If I hear any further information prior to Christmas, I shall inform you thus."

"Yes, Headmaster." replied Severus as he left the office and made his way to the Ravenclaw Tower and to bed.

 **(Here's Chapter 28. Sorry it's shorter than the others. Chapter 29 coming soon! Please read and review, thank you!)**


	29. Chapter 29: The Game and the Unity Plans

**Chapter 29: The Game and the Unity Plans**

 **(Rubbish title, I know.)**

The month of November brought much more chill and the leaves of the Forbidden Forest had all fallen. Though it was only 5pm, the blue sky had fully given way to black, and the moon, only half full was risen and shedding some feeble light across the lawns.

James and Sirius had both just finished Quidditch practice, and though they were confident of their skills, they were both keen to get back inside and warm their toes before the common room fire.

Severus and Lily were in the common room already. Quincey and Mary had gone to the Great Hall for an early dinner, and they planned to follow once the two Marauders returned to warm up before they went back down for their meals. Although they were all friends, they did sometimes feel the need to have some private times, particularly Severus and Lily. They both found that if Quincey had a second-best friend, it was surely Mary MacDonald. Marlene and Rebecca were besties too but were both drifting to get attention from James and Sirius respectively.

Remus and Peter were also in the common room, working on a piece of parchment together, which seemed blank. Or at least, Remus was working on it and Peter was just nodding and making seemingly worthless pointers now and then. Severus knew Peter still lacked some academic genius compared to his best friends, but he was still more happy and content. He was an excellent Gobstones player and had gained much more respect after his conflict with Lucius Malfoy.

The four friends greeted James and Sirius who immediately began boasting of their successful training session, and as Peter provided a more than captivated audience, Severus and Lily made their getaway to the Great Hall.

Dinner was luscious and to both friends' joy, the time in the Hall went without a blemish. Regulus and Melody were at the Slytherin table, and the latter gave Lily a hearty wave. Lily waved back but looked around the Slytherin table in concern, but luckily, no Death Eater wannabes were present, and those who noticed the wave looked more surprised than appalled. Lily herself wondered if these Slytherin students would be open to joining the group of House Unity.

Lily and Mary insisted on the group having an official name, and they wondered if they should publicise the group to expand it somehow. The name was given as 'House Union' and they decided, for the time being, not to count their chickens. They were making progress with Regulus and Melody, but things were only beginning to work out. There also wasn't a single Hufflepuff in the group, which could give the wrong idea to the less respected House. And so, they all decided to delay publicising the group until next term, at the very least.

"I wonder who in Hufflepuff could join our group." wondered Lily. "We haven't really connected to many of them."

"Any of them, more like." concurred Severus in agreement.

"We'll have to remedy that issue before Christmas." said Lily.

Severus nodded, wondering which Hufflepuff they could possibly approach.

Mid-November came, and the first Quidditch match of the season was incoming. James and Sirius were more than confident and couldn't wait to mop the floor with Slytherin. Avery and Mulciber had managed to secure positions on the Slytherin team as Beaters, and judging from history in the previous world, Severus recalled that neither showed any mercy or hesitation when it came to harming the opposition.

Severus joined Lily, Mary and Quincey to watch their two friends from the stands. Although indifferent to Quidditch itself, and the idea of Gryffindor winning, Severus was keen to watch Avery, Mulciber, and the Slytherin team captain, Evan Rosier lose.

All the teachers, bar Dumbledore were also present. Slughorn was wiping his brow after climbing up the stairs, McGonagall looked stiff-lipped, clearly hoping that Gryffindor wouldn't lose, and Professor Millburn, a Ravenclaw looked down to the players as indifferently as Severus was. Sports weren't her speciality and she only showed up out of courtesy.

Severus saw a much younger, but still strict Madam Hooch appear to watch the captains shake hands. Rosier seemed gleeful to ominously grip the Gryffindor captain, Thomas Young's hand more tightly than necessary, and then the teams mounted their brooms, took their positions and the game began at Hooch's whistle and release of the Quaffle.

The crowd roared as the game began and Severus found that he didn't like it. He hadn't bothered to attend Quidditch last year but insisted that Lily go and see the sport for herself. He was dismayed to find that she loved it, but likely only because it was the first Wizarding sport she had ever seen.

Slytherin took the lead fast, thanks to some underhand kicks and some well-aimed Bludger shots from Avery and Mulciber. However, after getting used to the fact that Slytherin weren't going to play fair, James and Sirius predicted their tricks and used them against the two cheating Beaters, evening the score with their skilled Quaffle shots. The score became 50 points apiece, but the two Seekers had made no movement. Neither had seen the Quaffle yet.

Severus and Lily couldn't help but join the cheering, though the former still could abide the noise and the fuss. Things didn't improve when Mary shrieked, "HEY! OUR SEEKER'S SEEN THE SNITCH!"

She was right.

The Gryffindor Seeker, Miss Isabella Openshaw was speeding towards the ground with her hand outstretched, but then she was struck, not with a Bludger, but with Avery's body, deliberately slamming himself into her as she descended.

There was uproar from the stands, and although Isabella Openshaw crashed and was winded, she insisted on continuing the game, and to much luck, the Slytherin Seeker hadn't even noticed that she had seen the Snitch until she was hit, and now the Snitch was gone, and the Slytherin Seeker was being shouted at by Rosier.

The game soon resumed, and James and Sirius helped substantially in taking the lead, and the score was 120 – 70 to Gryffindor by the time action took place again between the Seekers, only this time, the Slytherin Seeker noticed the Snitch first and was taking no chances to catch it first, but Isabella Openshaw had the faster broom and was catching up.

The crowd roared encouragingly, and even Sirius stopped as James put the Quaffle past the Slytherin Keeper once again to watch.

Just as the Slytherin Seeker was about to grasp the Snitch, it whizzed out of his reach and zoomed to the right, right into the direction of Isabella, whom quickly reached out and clutched the tiny golden ball to her chest to prevent it slipping through her fingers.

The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws cheered in delight, McGonagall grinned happily and shook hands with a disappointed but far from bitter Slughorn. Millburn, Flitwick and Sprout rose from their seats almost instantly, not too interested in the event, aside from their indignance at Avery's cheating and foul play.

James and Sirius looked the happiest of all, hugging each other and then their teammates, especially Isabella.

Severus, however, looked across to where the Slytherins were watching their team's defeat, and he paid particular attention to the younger years. They looked disappointed but upon seeing just how happy every other person outside of Slytherin was at their defeat, the younger and more vulnerable students looked fit to tears.

Severus knew that feeling too well from his past. He was sure that aside from the suffering he endured from the Marauders, he suffered most in Slytherin because of almost everyone automatically prejudicing them for being in such a notorious House. Nobody gave him or his fellow Slytherins a chance, and it was therefore little wonder that they turned to a powerful Slytherin source that they didn't fully understand. They only wanted respect and power, to show the judgmental people from other Houses that they were more than what they were assumed to be, only to find that Voldemort cared even less for them.

Severus decided that once the Quidditch fever died down, he would discuss this sense of automated isolation to the House Union.

That evening, Severus and Quincey were allowed into the Gryffindor common room again to celebrate James and Sirius' first Quidditch victory. They and Isabella were being celebrated as the heroes of the match. Isabella for her winning catch despite her injured state, and James and Sirius for their natural talent displayed in their very first game.

Severus still felt a twinge of jealousy at their popularity, but he cheered up when he saw Lily looking over at him with the happiest smile. He loved that smile and he would cherish it for as long as he lived, and beyond.

He and Lily chatted as the celebration toned down and when they looked up, they found that the majority of the students had gone to bed, except for the four Marauders, who seemed to be gathered round the piece of parchment.

Severus had a feeling that they were working on the Marauder's Map, and was for once, glad for it.

"I'm off to bed, Lils." he said at last, giving a genuine yawn.

"Good idea, Sev." replied Lily. "I could do with some rest too." She restrained her yawn but stretched exhaustedly.

"Anyone would've thought _we_ had just played Quidditch." chuckled Severus.

"Yeah, right!" laughed Lily sarcastically.

The two best friends hugged, and Severus felt a warm sensation in that hug. He still loved Lily deeply and now his body was slowly beginning to appreciate her again too. He was not far off from turning thirteen after all. Little did he know that Lily was feeling just the same way. If he had, he may not have stopped the embrace and climbed out of the portrait hole back to his own common room so easily.

November was now in its adolescence and Friday was approaching. Remus had transformed again but seemed no worse for wear than he usually did. He was much more perky despite his condition nowadays. However, Regulus still held his suspicions and Severus was hoping badly that he would not figure out the connection between Remus' illness and the full moon before the Marauder's Map was completed.

That morning, Severus and Lily received letters from Hagrid, inviting them to a cup of tea and some cake at his hut after lessons that afternoon.

"Do we have to go?" asked Severus. "I don't really fancy cracking a tooth today! Those cakes!"

"You know full well that Madam Pomfrey will fix your teeth right up if that does hap- Hey! I've an idea!"

"What?" Severus was slightly taken aback by Lily's sudden cut-off.

"Why don't we ask Hagrid if we can bring a friend with us, each?"

"Which ones?" asked Severus.

"Well, you can take Regulus, and I'll bring Mel."

"Do you really think Hagrid will take too kindly to be having two Slytherins in his hut?"

"If he doesn't, then we'll need to be clear with him about how we're aiming for House Unity. Just as you did when you noticed how isolated those first year Slytherins were after the Quidditch match." shrugged Lily.

"Hmm, okay." sighed Severus, unsure. "You're making great efforts to ensure those two get rotten and cracked teeth."

Lily slapped his arm playfully, and the two friends wrote a reply to Hagrid, accepting his invitation and requesting to bring a friend. After that, they went over to Regulus and Melody and invited them to the hut.

"Is he nice?" asked Melody. "He seemed very…big and fierce on that first night."

"He's lovely after that!" giggled Lily. "You'll see."

"I'm in then." smiled Melody. "You, Reg?"

Regulus nodded silently.

"Brill!" exclaimed Lily excitedly. "Meet us in the Entrance Hall after lessons end."

The two Slytherins nodded, one keenly, one dimly. Severus shared Regulus' sentiments.

As Severus went to Herbology with Quincey after lunch, Hagrid whistled from a distance to catch his attention and gave him two thumbs up. Severus took that as a yes to the requests and went on to explain Lily's plan to the puzzled Quincey.

"We can only hope Hagrid doesn't roar at them and chase them out of the hut." frowned Quincey.

"That was my mindset when Lily first ran the idea by me at breakfast." replied Severus ominously.

"Well, best of luck anyway." said Quincey.

"What do you plan to do this afternoon?" asked Severus.

"Gonna meet Mary, Elizabeth and Nora in the library. Need some help on that Astronomy homework."

"Okay. Good luck with that." chuckled Severus.

"They're not as bad as Lily is with her rotas on doing homework on time and straight away!" protested Quincey.

"Exactly my point, my friend." teased Severus, whom agreed with Lily's rotas. " _Exactly_ my point."

Quincey frowned exaggeratedly, and they began to feed their slowly growing Mandrakes.

After Herbology and the following Double Potions class, Severus met Lily, Regulus and Melody in the Entrance Hall.

"After sitting with Slughorn in that dark and dim dungeon for two hours, I'd say it must feel good to walk through the grounds straight after." said Lily sympathetically.

"Never particularly minded the dimness." replied Severus. "The flames from the cauldrons and concentrating on the potions makes you barely notice."

Lily shrugged and led the way down to the hut.

"Is Hagrid expecting us specifically?" asked Regulus.

"Hm?"

"Well, does he know we're in Slytherin House?"

"Not yet, but I doubt he'll mind." said Lily. "Our aim is to make sure nobody will mind."

"Sure." replied Regulus dubiously and doubtfully.

Lily ignored this as she was secretly hoping Hagrid wouldn't react negatively as Regulus believed. Melody held her best friend's hand shyly.

They soon reached the hut, and Lily eagerly knocked on the door. Severus stood behind the two first-years, trying to hide their Slytherin emblems from view, until Lily could explain.

Hagrid opened the door. Without Fang existing yet, the hut seemed quiet except for his stomps across the floor.

"Ello, you two. And who are these two friends? One looks familiar." he said welcomingly, stepping aside to let them in.

The four friends slipped past him, and then Hagrid noticed the green and silver on their robes.

"Ah, that's where I've noticed yer face." he said grimly to Regulus. "Yer brother's a Gryffindor, in' he?"

"Yes, sir." said Regulus respectfully, but with defensiveness in his tone.

"Hm, I believe he 'oped for you to join 'im there. Can't 'ave everything we want though, can we?"

"No, sir." snarled Regulus. Melody gripped his hand to soothe him, but she was losing colour too, looking at Hagrid's dimmer and less cheerful face.

"Hagrid, um, these two are our friends." said Lily quickly.

"Are they indeed?" said Hagrid, his spirits slightly lifting again. "Never heard of a Gryffindor being friends with a Slytherin, let alone two of each. Not since the days of Hogwarts' beginnings. The founders and all, before their fallout."

He began to brew tea.

"Help yourselves to some cake."

Melody was more than ready to indulge herself, but Severus and Lily made her pause to feel the texture of the rocky rock cakes. She sucked on it for a while, like a gobstopper, before daring to take a bite. By the time she managed this, Hagrid was facing them, pouring the tea, and looking quite pleased that a Slytherin girl was enjoying his cakes. Admittedly, once they softened in the mouth, Severus and Lily found them quite tasty.

"Makes them last longer." Lily often said.

After proper introductions were made, Severus and Lily explained to Hagrid all about how they all came to meet and be friends, and of how they were planning to make their group a public one that promoted unity in the four Houses.

Hagrid was surprised.

"A pack of eleven and twelve-year olds tryin' ter bring peace to a millennium-old rivalry? Ye have yer work cut out for yer, kids." he said reflectively.

"I know, Hagrid." said Lily. "But I just want us to try. This rivalry makes Slytherins in particular feel isolated before they even have a chance to choose whether they want to side with Voldemort. This prejudice is likely what pushed innocent Slytherin kids over the edge and into Voldemort's preying hands."

Hagrid winced. He was very surprised that Lily showed no fear at using Voldemort's name. He wasn't the only one. Regulus and Melody were surprised too when they first joined the group, though they were by now used to it, but still twitched nervously.

"I guess yer have a point, Lily." Hagrid murmured. "Ne-er put it that way in me head before."

"And it's not just Slytherins." added Severus. "Hufflepuffs are always looked down upon as the lesser House, because their qualities don't seem as efficient as the other Houses require. We need to help them feel worthier too."

Regulus scoffed, earning a scowl of disapproval from Severus and Hagrid respectively.

"What?" asked Severus calmly.

"Well, you say that about helping Hufflepuff." explained Regulus mockingly. "And yet your little group hasn't a single Hufflepuff student in it."

"As it happens, you cheeky little-"

"Sev!" warned Lily. Then she turned to Regulus sternly. "As it happens, Regulus, we are thinking of branching out the group, if you recall. Hopefully through that idea, we will have many Hufflepuffs joining the Union."

"And on that note, boy." cut in Hagrid coldly. "I'd think twice about how ye treat these two. They took you in as a friend, something that's likely not bin 'eard of in centuries. I'd count yer blessings and show them some ruddy respect!"

Regulus flinched, nodded frantically and shrunk back. Melody held his hand. She was positively scared now.

Hagrid sighed.

"Sorry, you two. I…got a bit carried away there. Have yer tea, and we'll start over, eh?"

After that, both Regulus and Hagrid were on their best behaviour, and after chatting about his hobbies, Melody took to Hagrid slightly more, coming out of her shell once more. Severus was also calmed after Lily held his hand too. They both felt the spark of physical contact again, though neither admitted it.

But on the walk back to get dinner in the Great Hall, Melody's pockets filled with rock cakes, Severus felt that he was certainly falling for this Lily hook, line and sinker…it was only now he fully comprehended his feelings shifting from Lily Potter to Lily Evans. He could truly move on from his first love now, in a weird way. And it could have been wishful thinking, or his imagination, but Severus was wondering if the redness on Lily's cheeks was not entirely due to the cold Autumn air.

 **(Here's Chapter 29! Hope you all like it! Please review! Any criticism welcome, positive and negative. Just no vitriol and taboo language! Thank you!)**


	30. Chapter 30: Christmas Time Once More

**Chapter 30: Christmas Time Once More**

December brought Winter in full, along with snow. The students, including the Union had a lot of fun in the snow, throwing snowballs, making snowmen or snow goblins.

Severus was not entirely fond of the snow, even when he really was twelve in his original youth. The wetness of the snow made his hair all the more greasy. Even though he had a much better control and care for his hair, it still became sleek naturally after a time, and moist weather only sped up that process.

Lily never minded his hair, nor did anybody else in the Union who respected the genius Ravenclaw. Everybody in the group, bar Regulus, had by now gained full trust, care and respect for him, and knowing he had this many friends in his new life just helped him to feel content. And he still felt happy to know that Lily Potter still awaited his return to Heaven to rekindle their friendship properly.

James and Sirius still continued their befriending of him, and although Severus still couldn't forgive their original counterparts, he was warming up to these new versions, albeit slowly.

The Union still had the issue of not having any Hufflepuffs included, and although having Melody and Regulus involved, just two Slytherins would not be enough to help bring unity to the four Houses. They all agreed to become more public after the holidays, which they were all looking forward to. But on the last feast of the term before the students left for home, a stroke of luck took place.

After the feast, the friends made their way up to bed, waving goodnight to Regulus and Melody, when Malfoy approached them, looking furious.

"I am done with you unworthy lot trying to corrupt my girlfriend's cousin!" he snarled. "If you do not desist instantly, I will hex the lot of you into begging for an Unforgivable."

Mary, Lily and Quincey winced at that open threat, but Severus, Sirius and James stood their ground, and surprisingly, so did Peter.

"We're not corrupting Regulus." said Sirius coldly. "We're salvaging him from falling in with the wrong crowd."

"Ha!" scoffed Malfoy. "You're all delirious. Once the Dark Lord is at full power, everything lesser than Pure-Blood will be purged! Just as your precious little group shall be, by my hand! What better way to show loyalty to his cause than to fight off those trying to resist him?"

Malfoy drew his wand and cast a non-verbal hex at Remus, whom was hit so hard, he was blasted to the top of the staircase, and was knocked unconscious, whilst fur sprouted all over his face and hands.

"REMUS!" cried the Union.

Suddenly, spells were flying everywhere, and Malfoy was now not alone. A bunch of his cohorts, including Rosier and the younger Mulciber and Avery were attacking too, and no professors were in sight, still in the Great Hall.

"Enough!" came the yell of Frank Longbottom.

But before he could Disarm or throw a hex, Malfoy Disarmed him and froze him with the Petrifcus Totalus spell. Alice rushed to his aid, forgetting to fight, and then got hit with a jinx too.

Severus was fighting side by side with Lily, hoping the commotion would alert the staff, as they were only two floors above. Then he saw Malfoy aim his wand at Lily, and was about to shield her when Malfoy got struck in the back and he fell on his face, unconscious.

A Hufflepuff third year had hit him from above, looking terrified and determined at the same time, then a sixth year Hufflepuff prefect appeared. They looked similar, and they appeared to be siblings. The prefect cast a Patronus Charm, a small but cute mole which carried a message of warning to the staff.

"Well done, Glenn." said the elder brother.

"Thanks, Ned." replied the Hufflepuff.

The other Slytherins retreated before the message reached the staff.

They only just got away as Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Slughorn and Millburn rush to the scene. Millburn gasped at the sight of Remus, Malfoy, Frank and Alice either unconscious or incapacitated. Dumbledore looked between Severus and Malfoy, McGonagall's nostrils flared and Slughorn mopped his brow, surveying the area with surprise.

"My, my! What has happened here?" asked Slughorn.

Everyone spoke at once, and all the blame was aimed at Malfoy.

"Enervate." said Dumbledore calmly, whilst holding one hand to silence the witnesses.

Malfoy stirred, and after some interrogation and some severe glares from himself, he found himself stuck in detention with the caretaker and threatened to have his Prefect duty stripped from him should anything else like this happens again.

Malfoy gave Severus and the Union one last look of contempt and fury, then skulked to the Slytherin Common Room. Millburn and McGonagall reversed the jinxes cast on Remus, Frank and Alice.

"Off to bed, all of you." said McGonagall severely.

As they obeyed, Severus recognised the third year Hufflepuff who came to the rescue. It was the same Hufflepuff whom had delivered Dumbledore's first noted message to Severus back in first year, the same Hufflepuff who had been intercepted by Malfoy in the Great Hall.

"Thanks for helping us out." said Lily to the brothers. "Haven't we met before?"

"Yeah, last year." said the younger brother. "Glenn Tozer's the name."

"And I'm his brother, Ned."

"Great to meet you." said Mary cheerily.

Everyone else conveyed gratitude as well, apart from Remus. He was looking incredibly pale, shaken and distraught. Severus could tell why. The jinx had made him sprout fur, just as he was forced to do during full moon. Remus was likely afraid that his secret could be figured out with this unfortunate incident. James and Sirius had the same theory too when they noticed their friend's shaken appearance but could see that nobody in the Union had given the matter a second thought. They were too busy thanking the Tozer brothers, and showing relief that nobody was permanently hurt.

Just then, Lily had a thought.

"You guys came to help us even though we're not in the same Houses." she remarked. "We could use people like you guys."

"For what?" asked Ned Tozer puzzledly.

Lily explained about the Union, and how they needed members from every House to help achieve their aim to bring unity to them all.

"You mean to say you actually have Slytherin students in your group?" asked Glenn in awe.

"Yes, we only lack some Hufflepuffs." said Mary. "Maybe you'd like to have the honour to be the first of your House to join?"

Glenn looked eager, though Ned wasn't too sure.

"Why weren't there any of our House in the Union until now?" he asked.

"Well, because we don't really know many people in your House, so it was hard to approach anyone to join us." explained Quincey.

"And you had good terms with some Slytherins?" asked Ned dubiously.

"Only through me." said Sirius defensively. "One of the two Slytherins in the Union is my brother, and his best friend tagged along. We hoped through my brother, we'd be able to get Slytherin involved, and we roughly succeeded."

"Roughly?" asked Glenn.

"Yes, well, Reg is still having difficulty to trust us all and let go of the judgement against Muggles and all that cos of how he and I were brought up by our worthless parents." continued Sirius bitterly.

"We're Muggle-born." said Glenn nervously. "He may not like us; therefore, we won't be a Union."

"We admit that things are taking time and patience with Regulus." agreed Lily. "But his friend likes all of us and is also a Muggle-born. She's quite conclusive proof that not all Slytherins are automatically bad people."

Ned and Glenn considered.

"What will we do towards this Union?" asked the former.

"We're planning to widen the group through the members of our respective Houses." said Severus in a bored voice. "The more people we get to communicate with others from different dorms, the more we can unite as a whole. To end this consistent rivalry due to the reputations and qualities of each House."

"For instance, we Gryffindors are often chastised for being reckless, but at heart, we're brave, loyal and always there for our friends. That fits in well with Hufflepuff." said Frank. "And although Hufflepuffs are looked down upon for their loyalty and kindness, they are also strong and reliable, like Gryffindors and Slytherins. And Ravenclaws have brains, like Slytherins do. We're all compatible, and so we're all capable of functioning as a whole community in this castle, regardless of those who have darkened or mocked our Houses' reputations."

Frank was the elder member of the group, and his points were clear and valid. This made Ned see the Union's views as fair and worthwhile.

"Very well." he said at last. "I'm in."

Glenn agreed to join too, looking more enthusiastic than his brother.

"Perfect!" cheered Lily. "Now we have someone from every House involved!"

"With Ned and Frank as our elder members, and both Prefects, maybe we can use their authority and age to help reel in more members!" added Peter.

"Good thinking, Peter." said James appraisingly.

Soon, the Union made their plans for next term and they went their respective ways to bed, ready for their return trip in the morning. James and Sirius knew they'd have to wait a bit longer to sleep though, as they needed to console and reassure the silent Remus before letting him go to bed.

Christmas Day was almost due, and Severus and Lily had been having a fun time over the holidays. They spent most of their time hanging out together and showing Petunia their latest Herbology notes. The elder sister didn't know whether or not to be intrigued or frightened of the Mandrakes.

Severus and Eileen planned to spend Christmas Day together at Spinner's End. Lily was to stay with her family, but both families were invited to Boxing Day dinner at Prince Manor by Septimus and Desdemona.

Eileen let one particular bombshell drop on Severus on Christmas Eve, and that was the fact that she invited her amiable boyfriend, Robin Kennedy to join them for Christmas dinner. Severus would have been happier to spend the time with just his mother, but he was used to Robin, and knew he would also have to get used to having him around, should his and Eileen's relationship go to the highest levels.

Lily and Septimus, the latter via a letter, assured Severus to be trusting towards Robin. They had both met him and were convinced that he was far different to the nature of his father, Tobias. Severus wanted to believe them, but was frightened of losing his mother again, and he felt sure that falling in love again and being failed by Robin would be the crisis that pushed her over the edge and become the uncaring recluse once more.

On Christmas Day, Robin arrived with some roses and a gift for Eileen, as well as three gifts which he presented to Severus.

"One of each for you, Lily and that sister of hers." explained Robin.

Severus was intrigued and opened his relatively soft present. Inside was an emerald green robe, and after examining it, he knew exactly what the robe was: dress robes.

"Eileen explained you'd be needing some." said Robin.

"Why?" asked Severus.

"It was a surprise." said Eileen. "We kept from you guys that your grandparents were going to celebrate the arrival of 1973 with a New Year ball. We and the Evans family are invited as well as several other families, like the Prewetts, the Lovegoods and the Potters."

Severus felt a cold sweat come over him.

"You're gonna make me…dance?" he asked nervously.

"Indeed. Dancing is compulsory in a ball thrown by the Prince family." said Eileen with a cheeky smile on her face.

Severus could tell by that smile that Eileen was trying to hurry along Severus' chances of getting together with Lily. After all, they were entering the stage in their youths where they'd initially start becoming interested in the opposite sex, and Severus still hoped to win this Lily's heart.

But dancing was not a fun experience for Severus, and he was certain that he'd make himself look clumsy and silly when trying to dance with Lily.

Robin could see that Severus looked awkward, and so changed the subject by offering to help him roast the potatoes for dinner.

Before dinner was ready, Eileen used Gabriel to send a message to the Evans family, inviting them to attend the New Year ball.

"They have a week to decide." she said to Robin. "I wrote if they had other plans arranged with relatives or friends, then it's absolutely no trouble."

"Splendid." said Robin, using his wand to build up the fire in the living room.

Severus tucked into the modest but succulent turkey dinner, and he and Robin somehow got to the subject of confidence when dancing with girls. His pale face turned pink from the blushing, and he tried desperately not to smile with anticipation as he received instructions on how to lead Lily.

The dinner was filling for all three and Gabriel returned that evening with a reply saying that the Evans initially were going to ask them round to the countdown to New Year, but they were now excited to attend the ball, as the mother and daughters loved the idea. Severus and Robin had an understanding feeling that Trevor was not as keen as his family were but was willing to attend to please everybody else.

"He'll love the food anyway." said Eileen.

"And he's been wanting to talk to me about how Healers differ from doctors." added Robin cheerfully.

"It'll hopefully go swimmingly." concluded Eileen, giving a suggestive glance to Severus, whom had no intention of aiding and abetting his own humiliation.

But it seemed that he had had his chances of not getting shown up in front of even the whole Potter family dashed by the acceptance of the invitation given to the Evans family.

Boxing Day dinner had gone well, and Severus and Lily had good fun in the week between then and the New Year Ball. Severus wouldn't stop grumbling about it, but Lily countered him with her keenness and excitement.

Severus, knowing he would probably regret it, had requested to his grandparents that his and Lily's friends could also attend the Ball, with their families, mostly Lily's idea. They consented and extended invitations, apologising for the late invite. Septimus and Desdemona were only too happy to oblige, still feeling the need to make things up to Severus and their daughter. Severus, being a former Slytherin, knew how to use that guilt to his advantage, albeit on rare occasions.

Lily and her family had their best outfits ready, and Eileen made them look a little more impressive with a bit of magic, though this made Trevor a little indignant, but Petunia and Rose were only too happy to stand out with the others.

Severus went to Diagon Alley, met with Remus and used some money in his allowance to help get the Lupins more modern and clean outfits, as Remus was used to wearing shabby and worn clothing. Remus was resistant, but eventually conceded to gratitude and vowed to make it up somehow.

Neither boy really knew how but were confident it could happen in time.

On New Year's Eve night, the time came, and Severus and Lily found themselves wearing their dress robes and ready to either enjoy or dread the party. Lily was taught by Rose and Petunia how to dance and was confident with her abilities, but Severus was far from excited. He had never danced once in either of his lives. Professor Vector asked him to the Yule Ball once, but he declined politely. He never wanted to dance with anyone but Lily, and that dream died with her. Vector had ended up dancing with the fake Alastor Moody that night, along with Professor Sinastra. But now, Severus was preparing to have his dream come true tonight.

However, he was still frightened that he would mess things up, despite the happy look on Lily's face.

After they all met with their friends, Peter being the last to arrive, Septimus addressed the whole party.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Prince family's New Year Ball!"

There was some polite and enthusiastic applause in response.

"The dances are about to begin, and I propose that we start with our younger guests to begin the dancing! Any of the children here who have partners, pray stand on the dance floor at once, please!"

Severus felt put on the spot, as did his friends.

Sirius confidently offered his hand to Marlene McKinnon, and she squealed in delight as they took to the dance floor. James followed with Rebecca Castle, though winked at Lily, much to Severus' worry. Remus and Peter initially kept back but they both got propositioned by the Ravenclaw girls, Nora Waynefleet and Elizabeth Burns respectively. Regulus and Melody brought up the rear, both shy about it.

That left two couples left.

Quincey shyly offered Mary his hand, and she smiled cheerfully accepting to be his dance partner. But Severus and Lily felt too shy to dance together.

"Go ahead, you two." whispered Eileen.

Severus and Lily awkwardly took each other's hand and stepped onto the dance floor with their friends.

The music began and all the men, even Severus led, though he was paying close attention to what Sirius was doing.

After five minutes, when the adults stopped cheering and applauding and began to dance themselves, Severus began to show more confidence in himself, and looked at Lily at last. She was really enjoying herself, her red waving around as they spun and twirled together, and her cheeks were distinctively rosy, as were Severus'.

Quincey and Mary had the same redness too, and the other couples looked happy enough too, though Remus and Peter were dancing awkwardly, one due to stiff muscles and the other due to lack of confidence.

The evening was a successful dance show, and eventually everyone paused to join the countdown to the New Year.

"…Three…Two…One! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

The Evans family all got a pleasant surprise when the wizards and witches around them set off celebratory fireworks by emitting sparks from their wands which collided with one another and each spark had a different colour, so when collided, they would create a mix-coloured firework.

"Oh, wow!" cried Lily happily.

"Gosh!" gasped Petunia.

The two sisters held hands and their parents kissed each other happily. Life was perfect at present, and this was a moment in their family that they would not forget.

After the party simmered down an hour later, Severus and the other children were sent to bed, Septimus agreed for them and their families to spend the night, though Regulus and Sirius were told to come home instantly under the strict orders of their parents, Orion and Walburga.

Sirius gave them a half-hearted farewell, and a stiff nod of hesitation from Regulus before they joined their parents into the Floo Network. Severus and the others, particularly James promised to make up the lost time upon their return to Hogwarts.

As the children went to bed, after embracing their parents, Severus stood just outside his bedroom door for a moment and looked across to the bedroom door that Lily and Petunia had just disappeared into. He felt the warmth of Lily's hands on his own, and the heat of his constant blushing on his face, and he knew that things were going well!

 **(Here's Chapter 30! I'm sorry it's taken so long to update. My final assignments for the year at university have been slowing me down and affecting my creative spirit! Hopefully Chapter 31 will be updated a lot sooner! Thank you for reading! Please review!)**


	31. Chapter 31: The Mistakes

**Chapter 31: The Mistakes**

The return to Hogwarts was long past, and the House Union had become more and more popular, with help from Frank and Ned's authorities as prefects. But while there were more Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws joining the Union, as well as some Gryffindors, including Isabella Openshaw, there were no other Slytherins showing interest in joining.

Regulus and Melody soon discovered that the reason for this was not because of the prejudice towards Half-Bloods and Muggle-borns, but also because the elder and more elitist Slytherins such as Malfoy and his cronies had become more threatening to the younger Slytherins, warning them that they would not be welcome or left alone if they showed any interest in collaborating with the 'enemy' that was the House Union group.

This made the members of the Union feel melancholic. However, they did not intend to give in.

"We need to make these younger Slytherins see that choosing the Union and being friendly with other types of witches and wizards is far better than feeling a part of a singular House." insisted Alice.

"Yes, but how?" asked Glenn Tozer.

"Reg and Mels are our best bet in getting them to come around." said Sirius.

"Only Reg is feeling that conflict too, aren't you?" asked Severus.

Regulus nodded stiffly. Melody held his hand comfortingly.

Sirius understood. Their parents had warned them both against their new friends since meeting them at the New Year Ball. They did not approve of blood traitors and filthy Mudbloods.

Sirius had no intention to obey their commands, but Regulus was frightened of the Blacks finding out about his disobedience. He had always been the most loved, and now they were showing some disdain towards him, similar to how they alienated Sirius. Now he understood how his brother felt.

The Union were still increasing in numbers however, and when Severus went to visit Dumbledore at the end of Lily's birthday, he found out that the Headmaster approved strongly of their efforts.

"Did you enjoy each other's birthdays?" he asked after congratulating the Union.

"Yes, sir." replied Severus with a less dull tone than usual. "We each got great gifts. Lily's favourite was the Omnioculars James gave her…and my favourite was the set of Potion ingredients for OWL level that Lily and Mary got me."

He sounded a little upset that James bought the winning gift for Lily this year.

Dumbledore swiftly changed the subject.

"We have no further sources on my end about the Horcruxes or Voldemort's movements so far. Perhaps our friends in Heaven can be of further help."

"Okay, sir." said Severus. "Would you like to stay…to see Ariana?"

Dumbledore shook his head with a grim smile.

"I'd sooner wait for that privilege, Mr Prince. Once we have eradicated Voldemort, perhaps."

Without another word, Dumbledore went off to his quarters, leaving Severus with Fawkes and the Resurrection Stone for company.

Severus inhaled deeply as per usual before meeting his oldest friend and turned the Stone thrice in his hand.

Lily Potter appeared, radiant as ever, or as she could be looking semi-transparent.

"Hello, Sev." she said pleasantly.

"Hi, Lils." replied Severus cheerily. "How are things?"

"Boring without you." teased Lily.

"Well, things are pretty exciting here."

"I've noticed." smiled Lily. "Well done on all you've done with the Union."

"Thanks."

"We haven't much news to give you." said Lily regretfully. "But we have noticed that the Lestranges are rising rapidly within Voldemort's inner circle. Bellatrix is flattering him no end and is not hesitant to do anything he orders her. He is rather proud of her. We're hoping it's only a matter of time before he gives her one of the Horcruxes."

"The cup." murmured Severus.

"But let's be sociable." continued Lily, diverting the subject. "How are things with you and the new me?"

"Reasonably well and progressively." said Severus with a blush.

"I can see." chuckled Lily teasingly. "I never knew you were such a whizz-waltz on the dance floor."

Severus' light blush turned as purple as Vernon Dursley's extensive neck.

"I-I-I…"

"Don't be modest or shy, Sev!" giggled Lily. "It's only a matter of time. You're teens now, her thoughts and yours are getting more…mature in an immature sort of way, and I have no doubt, judging by your interactions of late, that she is falling for you."

"You didn't." said Severus mournfully. "I therefore maintain doubts that this Lily will."

"But she does!" protested Lily with a shameful expression. "I am her in a way, and I know how she is feeling…I can see it. And besides…I did for a…brief time."

"What?" gasped Severus in shock.

"It-it was not long after we started at Hogwarts. Even though you were in Slytherin, you kept up appearances with me as best friends. I always could tell you were more dedicated than I, and as much as I felt put off by the prejudices within and without Slytherin, I appreciated your loyalty. But then by third year or maybe before, your fascination of the Dark Arts grew and grew, and I eventually fell out of love with you by the end of fourth year, cos by then, we were arguing a lot about James and of your former friends. I hated what the Dark Arts were turning you into, and you were becoming less and less of the boy at Cokesworth that I fell for. The last straw was on that day…"

She didn't elaborate there and Severus was grateful for it. But he nevertheless felt some despair. If he hadn't been so fascinated by Voldemort and his Dark gifts, he and Lily may have had it made from the start, she would not have fallen for James and she would have never told him in Heaven that she could never love him in the way she did James.

The silence was agonising for both of them, and Severus, feeling completely overwhelmed, decided to end it.

"I need to go. See you in April."

"Sev, wait!"

Severus hesitated.

"If you have lost all faith or care in me, as I once did unfairly to you, please, _please_ don't lose faith in your future with this new Lily. She hasn't and will not make my mistakes, just as you will not repeat yours."

Severus nodded despondently and dropped the Stone.

It was several hours later in Heaven, where Lily was relaxing, or at least trying to relax in the warm, steamy jacuzzi she wished for while her husband joined Sirius and Marlene for high tea.

The silence and abrupt parting from Severus had affected her badly enough to decline joining James, whom understood that she still felt guilt. And it wasn't like she didn't see Marlene and Sirius most days anyway.

She rested in the hot tub with some extent of destressing. But she found that her memories were becoming deeply depressing. Even now, she was remembering her first day in Heaven, which should in some understandable senses, be a good thing, but to her was not. This was due to the fact dawning on her that she would never be able to raise her son, or ever have more children, never have a daughter or help them with their magic control, dress them for the Balls, never be able to make amends with her best friend (or so she thought); not that she had wanted to at the time.

 _On that day, Lily had met with one of the Higher Ones. It was one of the male voices, and he had descended to her level of Heaven in a red robe, concealing his features._

 _"_ _Lily Evans Potter." said the Higher One deeply. "You are deceased at the age of twenty-one. You have been granted salvation in Heaven, and you are to be joined by your husband and soulmate, James Potter. However, you must be made aware of your life errors prior to this welcome, so you may repent."_

 _Lily had been rather indignant at that moment._

 _"_ _What mistakes?" she demanded. "I tried to keep in touch and be civil with my sister, I was always a good girl for my parents, I never joined the Death Eaters, I married well, I never messed around with him before the wedding, we had a child within wedlock, and I never killed in our battles!"_

 _"_ _But you did express hypocrisy and vanity. You showed bitterness with your sister's insults and you cut off a man whose life is now destined for pain and hardship to the very end." replied the Higher One calmly._

 _"_ _What?" asked Lily, worriedly._

 _"_ _Severus Snape." said the Higher One simply and explanatorily._

 _"_ _He was a Death Eater!" insisted Lily. "He was dark and joined with Voldemort! He would have cut me off first if I had not given him up first. I was getting it over with quickly, so as not to cause more pain than necessary!"_

 _"_ _You realize that you're only referring to relieving your own pain, Mrs Potter?" addressed the Higher One. "Your cutting ties with Mr Snape ruined his life in more ways than you could ever imagine, and my colleagues above can help me guarantee that he would never have disowned you in the way you did to him. As a matter of fact, you were the only link to the light that could have stopped him taking the dark path that he did."_

 _Lily froze. "T-that isn't true." she said, clearly in a state of denial._

 _The Higher One was silent for a minute, then suddenly Lily found herself in one of her memories, the memory she never wished to look back upon. It was the day Severus was attacked by the Marauders, and she saw herself…what? She was smiling? Or trying not to! And then she looked to Severus. He had seen it, he saw her smile. He saw her spasm of betrayal by showing glee at his sufferings. Then the glazed look of heartbreak and treachery formed in Severus' normally indifferent, dark eyes and then they changed to fury and retribution, with a blind rage shaking within him as he was frozen by Sirius._

 _James released him, and after taunting Severus, he said the fatal word, 'Mudblood'._

 _Lily watched her past self show that same look of betrayal and in what she could now clearly see as the aforementioned hypocrisy, she sneered coldly in response and called Severus the equally (to him) painful nickname 'Snivellus.'_

 _Then she saw herself going through the portrait hole, leaving Severus behind after terminating their friendship permanently. Once the door had shut, Severus dazedly walked away from the grim looking Fat Lady and once out of sight of any portraits or skulking prefects, he collapsed and cried freely and full of despair._

 _"_ _Lily." he murmured mournfully to himself. "Lily!"_

 _Then she saw his reaction to her forming a relationship with James, then saw how James continued to attack him behind her back._

 _"_ _How could you have done that to him? To_ _ **me**_ _!" she whispered to herself as the next memory took shape._

 _She watched as James announced their engagement on that wondrous final day at Hogwarts. But glancing round, fully realizing that these memories emphasised her relationship with Severus, she saw the Slytherin boy looking shattered by the announcement and fled the scene, unseen by all except one: a very smug James._

 _Then the memories began to show Severus being branded as a Death Eater._

 _"_ _You're fully sure about this, Severus?" asked Lucius Malfoy. "You seemed hesitant back at Hogwarts."_

 _"_ _I have nothing left…I saw to that…" Severus didn't say it was a mistake, but it was plain for Lily to see that he was filled with regret and was still nervous about taking the Dark Mark. But she also saw desperation and in that moment, she realized that had she remained friends with Severus, he'd have had something to turn to, but without her, he felt that all he had was Voldemort's promises of power._

 _The scene shifted to Lily's wedding to James, but it was from Severus' point of view. He was watching the reception from the playground, the very spot where he had first met Lily. Watching her dance with his lifelong rival was bringing a multitude of tears to his eyes._

 _"_ _Lily…"_

 _Then he saw someone approaching the playground. Sirius Black was trying to drag an equally tipsy Marlene McKinnon to the woods beyond the playground for some privacy, and Severus could not bear to have Sirius announce to the whole reception that 'Snivellus the Death Eater Scum' was spying on them. So, he Disapparated post haste._

 _Then came the scenes where he had pleaded with Dumbledore to protect Lily, and then her family._

 _"_ _You were willing to let them die and have me to yourself?!" Lily cried angrily. But then that one word came out, "Anything."_

 _Lily sobbed. Severus was willing to do anything to protect her. He loved her so much._

 _Then came the most painful memory…a memory that was revealed by the Higher One to actually be a scene of present events, what Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore were doing right now._

 _Lily cried loudly and pathetically at Severus' grief, and then felt despair at how little he thought of Harry, not wanting him or anyone else to know of his love for her._

 _"_ _My word that I shall never the reveal the best of you, Severus? If you insist."_

 _"_ _NO! No, make him show his true self! Don't manipulate his guilt, Albus! PLEASE!"_

 _"_ _It is no good, Mrs Potter." said the red-robed Higher One. "They can neither see nor hear you."_

 _After that, Lily saw how her life affected others, but none of those minor mistakes compared in the slightest to how she treated Severus._

 _After James finally joined her in Heaven, Lily wanted to hate him, but could not. But she kept her objections and anger to herself, as she wanted to spend every moment watching over the baby boy she was forced to leave behind, and the young man she had willingly left behind._

 _She watched Harry's lack of affection provided by the Dursleys and she cursed Petunia to hell and back._

 _But what made her feel worse was watching Severus mourn her in privacy. He slit his wrists but would heal them after enduring a considerable amount of pain, not that it helped assuage his remorse. She saw him punch the walls of his quarters, hear him howl in despair, yelling her name, begging for her to hear and speak to him again, unaware that she could and was._

 _"_ _I'm so sorry, Sev." sobbed Lily when James was not within sight or earshot._

 _She had watched his relationship with Harry, not that it could be considered one of worth or value, emotionally anyway. The only emotion was kept in Severus' mind, the despair he felt whenever he saw Lily's eyes in Harry. The symbol of everything he had loved and lost._

Even now, with their relationship back to as normal as it could be considering their distance, Lily felt pain at her mistakes concerning Severus, and she was willing to do anything to assuage her remorse, just as Severus had been for all those years.

She lifted herself from the jacuzzi and went to look over the families who would be presented a Horcrux.

"This and your new life is just a start, Sev." she whispered, wishing that her best friend could hear her now, Stone or no Stone.

 **So here's Chapter 31! Sorry it's late and short. Been moving back into my home with a new bedroom! Hope you enjoy this chapter! 32 coming soon!**


	32. Chapter 32: The Conquering Pure-Bloods

**Chapter 32: The Conquering Pure-Bloods**

There is no doubt that with the turning of thirteen, came the hormones and testosterone that accompanied teenage years and, unfortunately for Lily, side effects lasting many years to come. And that was why the two best friends looked so discontent when walking to Charms that early spring morning. It was a Friday. Severus could not stop looking at Lily and her budding bodily changes, and Lily, though always happy to steal a secret glance at Severus, was suffering from her 'monthly issue.'

She probably wouldn't have complained so loudly and freely about it, had she known that another of her friends suffered a monthly problem of his own, which was far more painful, dangerous and lethal.

Flitwick taught them the Goblet Refill Charm that day, and both friends knew it would come in handy to refill their goblets of pumpkin juice now and again. They could also use it in their dormitories, because as it turned out, befriending Regulus had the perk of his relationship with the Hogwarts house elves. After introducing the Union's original small group to them, the elves were delighted to offer their additional services to 'Master Regulus' good friends.' Regulus did not dispute this description, and despite Lily's feelings towards house elves being treated like slaves, she saw how content they were to work and did not object, if only to keep the elves and her friends happy.

It was as they made their way back to the Great Hall for lunch after Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts, (where they had learned the Somersault Strike Hex from Millburn) that the two friends heard a commotion on the floor below.

"You will cease this foolishness, Regulus!" came the shrill voice of Narcissa Black. "This has gone on long enough!"

"I just want to have a relationship with Siri." came Regulus' timid reply.

"He's not like us."

"And he's not like you!" snapped Sirius' voice. "Why would he want to be a Voldemort lover? Oh, what's wrong, Cissy? Lucy? Scared to hear your idol's name?"

Lily and Severus were unsure whether or not to go and investigate, until they heard the first spell fire and Sirius yell in surprise and then groan in agony, after the dull thud against something solid.

They rushed down the staircase and saw Lucius brandishing his wand with Narcissa, Rosier, Mulciber and Avery behind him looking triumphant, albeit Narcissa's looked forced. Sirius was sprawled on the floor, clutching his left arm, which looked crooked, unmistakably broken from his being flung into the wall by Malfoy's spell. Regulus was looking down at his brother in horror, and Melody appeared from the other end of the corridor, looking scared.

"And what about you, Rowle?" asked Malfoy. "Are you going to continue siding with the Loser Lions? Or are you going to honour your family's good name and join with us, in your rightful place?"

Melody looked horrified by this sudden and unexpected confrontation.

"She isn't one of you!" snapped Sirius.

"SIRI!" shouted Regulus warningly.

Malfoy detected the fear and warning in Regulus' voice and looked between Melody and Sirius suspiciously.

"How is a Rowle not one of our group, Sirius Black?" he asked with severity.

Sirius, realizing his mistake, sat still and silent with defiance to rival the severe tone and expression of Malfoy.

"Must I break the other arm?" asked Malfoy.

"You will not!" shouted Severus, as he and Lily drew their wands, followed by Melody. Regulus did not.

"A trio of underage wizards, first or second-year alike, versus two second-years, one fourth year, a fifth year and I, a sixth-year prefect?" laughed Malfoy. "You Gryffindors never had brains. But you, a Ravenclaw? You've spent too much time in the company of the Loser Lions."

"We beat you before." resisted Lily.

"There were more of you." sneered Malfoy. "But this time, the triumph shall be ours!"

Malfoy used his wand to freeze Lily and she fell to the floor.

"No!" cried Severus and he used the Disarming Charm, but it was blocked by Malfoy, then Rosier countered Severus' assault with a Dark Hex.

It felt like ten punches to the gut at once, and Severus immediately doubled over, coughing up blood.

Lily could only watch helplessly, and Melody was quickly Disarmed and frozen by Narcissa.

"Last chance to join our side, Miss Rowle." she said coldly. "You side with these people and the Dark Lord will not hesitate to punish you severely."

Melody paled.

"Leave her alone, Cissy." said a timid voice.

It was Regulus.

"Reggie, you did well to befriend a good Pure-Blood Slytherin girl, but she is clearly not interested in joining the Dark Lord and bringing the real rulers of the world out of the shadows of the Statute of Secrecy! She has to find her place in the New World or die fighting our Lord."

"And so must you." added Mulciber. He and Avery had their wands aimed at both Regulus and Melody.

Regulus saw Avery's wand pointing at Melody. Narcissa doing so was one thing, but he restrained himself as she was family, but this incompetent and overconfident snob, Avery, trying to wish harm upon his best friend?

Regulus pointed his wand at Avery.

"Urchus!"

Avery dropped his wand and clutched his face, which began to sprout pointed scales, like that of a pufferfish.

"Regulus! What are you doing?!" fumed Malfoy. "You know too well that this is not what you want to do! Do not betray those who will bring you to the top! We're your friends and family! Your brother will break you into nothing, and then the Dark Lord will punish you both! Save yourself and then ask the Dark Lord to spare your brother for his foolishness! It's the only way, Regulus! Decide now!"

But Regulus saw Mulciber aim his wand at Melody to punish Regulus for assaulting his friend and the furious child Disarmed him and then used the Bat Bogey Hex on him.

"STOP, REGULUS!" shouted Malfoy, aiming his wand at him. "Don't make the same mistakes as your brother or you will pay!"

"You will not harm my best friend!"

"Then I will simply harm those trying to corrupt you!" snarled Malfoy. "Incarcerous!"

His wand was aimed at Lily, and ropes bound her tight. But there was worse to come. With a jab of the wand, the ropes seemed to tighten around Lily's body, and she found herself struggling to breath. Severus looked on hopelessly. He was in too much pain to do much of anything.

"Join us and abandon this…Union of yours, Reg, or this Mudblood you shouldn't give a toss about will be crushed!" shouted Malfoy.

"Will she really, Mr Malfoy?" came a voice of shrillness and contempt.

Malfoy and his comrades spun round to see Professor McGonagall on the upper staircase, marching down, using her wand to free Lily, relieve Severus of his pain slightly and to unfreeze Melody.

"You will do no more, Mr Malfoy." said McGonagall fiercely. "You and your friends will come with me to the Headmaster. Mr Black and Miss Royale, could you please escort Mr Prince, Miss Evans and your brother, the elder Mr Black to the Hospital Wing? I will come back for you once the Headmaster and I deal with these four."

She gestured dangerously to the four disgraced Slytherins.

"Royale?" piped up Mulciber. "I think you mean Miss Rowle, Professor."

Melody winced, and Regulus paled.

"No, Mr Mulciber, her name is Miss Melody Royale. Now, stop procrastinating your punishment and come with me at once."

McGonagall hurried along the students, but all four pairs of eyes were looking murderously at Melody.

Regulus hugged Melody.

"It's gonna be okay." he whispered.

She nodded in nervous response. She wasn't so sure, and internally, neither did Regulus.

Regulus took Sirius to the Hospital Wing, and although Sirius would have insisted he could walk on his own as there was nothing wrong with his legs, he decided to keep quiet because his brother was clearly distressed and just wanted to be as close to his brother as possible.

Severus helped Lily up and Melody helped him take her to the Hospital Wing, but she was shaking in fear of what her real surname's exposure will lead to.

Madam Pomfrey tended to the students. She gave Melody and Regulus some Soothing Solutions to calm their nerves, she examined Severus and found that the Hex that Rosier had used on him had caused minor internal bleeding, heavy bruising and a cracked rib. She resolved to fix them all. She stopped the bleeding with a potion, healed the rib and reduced the bruising.

"You're going to feel sore for a couple of days, Mr Prince." she said. "Feel lucky it wasn't anything worse."

She moved on to Lily. She rubbed some salve onto the sore and bruised areas where the ropes tightened against her most. She was also burned in a couple of places. Sirius' arm was mended in a heartbeat.

"Right, I think you are all free to return to your dormitories." she said primly. "Off you go!"

McGonagall joined them outside the Wing.

"Professor Dumbledore has gathered all that has occurred from those Slytherin students' point of view. Mr Malfoy says you can back up their side, Mr Black." she said ominously to Regulus.

"What does he say?" asked Sirius with a snarl.

"He believes that he and his friends tried to ask you nicely to let Regulus spend more time with them, but that you were refusing to allow it, and was forcing Regulus to stay by your side at all times. And then, Mr Prince and Miss Evans acted without cause and attacked, prompting the battle."

Sirius and Severus were furious.

"He's lying, Professor." said Regulus, without hesitation.

"What is the story?" she asked.

"They confronted us when Mels and I met Siri after class." said Regulus. "Siri was gonna ask us to the next meeting of our House Union club, but then they turned up and threatened to have me join with them and abandon Siri. I didn't want to lose my brother."

"Then I tried to defend him, and they as good as revealed in our arguing that they were Death Eater wannabes!" added Sirius.

"Then when Siri was attacked by Lucius, Severus and L-Lily came along and then the battle started, and Lucius vowed to cause more harm this time, but then they tried to hurt Melody, and I defended her, and you came along to stop it from getting worse, Professor." concluded Regulus, wanting to get it over with.

McGonagall's lips pursued fiercely.

"The accusation you are making about them wanting to join the Death Eaters is a serious one, Mr Black." she said to Sirius. "Unless you have concrete evidence-"

"We all heard Malfoy say as much." said Lily.

"We need more than that." said McGonagall. "Mr Malfoy could just as easily have been showing off to make himself look powerful."

"You know full well that he isn't." insisted Sirius.

"I am inclined to believe you, Mr Black, but I am not at liberty or within the power to do anything against Mr Malfoy and his friends until we have concrete evidence that he is in contact with You Know Who of his own volition."

The group stood silent, rageful and worried.

"However, thank you, Mr Black for confirming the lies told by Mr Malfoy and his cronies." concluded McGonagall. "Professor Dumbledore guessed as much but we have to be fair."

Severus tried not to scoff. Discipline was hardly ever fair to him in his first life at Hogwarts, but since Dumbledore found out about his past, he had begun cooperating with him and the Union's goals and acted with less prejudice and never jumped to conclusions, Legilimens or not Legilimens.

McGonagall strode off and the five friends left. Melody was beyond terrified.

"They now know I'm not from a wizarding family." she cried.

"We'll keep you safe, Melody." promised Lily.

She put her arm around her shoulder and Melody felt some of her stress die down.

Regulus was not so sure. What could they, a few first and second years do if the higher years of Slytherin wanted to punish Melody?

Regulus had every right to be worried, as was confirmed that same evening.

Melody was back in the Slytherin common room alongside Regulus and they kept close together in case of any retribution.

"I'm afraid, Reg." she said softly.

"So am I." said Regulus. "But we can be afraid together."

After another couple of hours, the two friends had to bid each other goodnight. As Regulus entered his dormitory, he felt a sense of unease. He cautiously entered the seemingly deserted bedroom and then-

"OUCH!"

He felt someone elbow him in the back and he hit the floor in agony, slightly winded.

Lucius Malfoy and Evan Rosier were standing over him. Rosier looked gleeful and malicious, but Malfoy looked mutinous and disappointed.

"You really upset Cissy today, Regulus and that upsets me, and when I get upset, I get…this thirst for revenge." he said coldly.

"I did what I had to for my best friend." snapped Regulus. "What would you be willing to do for your best friend?"

"If they were worthy of being my best friend, I would deal with their betrayals mercifully, but I would nevertheless desert them as they had no further reliable use to me. Slytherins don't need friendship, Regulus. They need power, and we are the only House who know that power is essential in life. It is the essence of life and we depend upon it to survive in this Muggle-infested world. Once we achieve the most absolute power from the Dark Lord, we will rid the world of that scum and rebuild it in the old ways, the true way! The ways of wizardry. Free of Muggles, free of Mudbloods…like your lying little friend. She is being punished now as we speak, and when I say punished, oh, I mean…tortured!"

Regulus leapt to his feet, but Rosier promptly punched him in the face, and the youngest of the Black brothers was knocked out cold.

Malfoy showed no qualms with that. As far as he was concerned, Regulus was a blood traitor, and if he came begging for forgiveness later after realizing that Melody had nothing to offer him, he would be begging for some time and under a considerable amount of pain before he was finally pardoned and allowed into the Dark Lord's ranks.

Meanwhile, Melody had changed and gotten into bed, but no sooner had she tried to close her eyes had she been seized by the hair and dragged out of bed by Narcissa Black.

"Hello, Mudblood." muttered Narcissa coldly.

She dragged Melody across the floor and kicked her in the gut.

Melody wheezed in pain and then she received another kick to the face before hearing the incantation.

"Gutterangus!"

Melody felt the same pain to the gut that Severus had felt and she felt something crack inside her. The hex had cracked, if not broken one of her lower ribs.

"This is how we handle scum like you!" sneered Narcissa. "This is for corrupting my cousin! Cruc-!"

"CISSY!"

Narcissa froze as her elder sister, Andromeda came in looking horrified.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" she cried. "You were going to use an Unforgivable Curse on a first year?!"

"A Mudblood whore!" replied Narcissa fiercely.

Andromeda slapped her so hard, that Narcissa fell to the floor. Taking advantage of this, Andromeda took the panting and coughing Melody by the hand and eased her up.

"Let's get you to the Hospital Wing." she said.

"If you tell them what I nearly did, you will be cut out of the tree." warned Narcissa coldly.

Andromeda hesitated, looking hurt.

"Unlike some members of this family, I have no intention on betraying my family by telling on them." she said just as coldly.

"You are betraying the Black family by helping that Mudblood cattle!"

"SHUT UP OR TELLING DUMBLEDORE WILL BE THE FIRST THING I DO NEXT!"

Narcissa, fearful that her sister truly would have her expelled, shut her mouth swiftly.

Andromeda took the sobbing Melody out of the dormitory, unaware that Regulus had been hurt too.

The following morning, Narcissa was punished for hurting Melody, but Andromeda kept quiet about her attempted Unforgivable Curse. Melody did so too, but only after seeing how upset and conflicted Andromeda, her saviour, was. She understood the feeling seeing as how her best friend had felt the same way.

Narcissa was given detention under McGonagall for a week, though Slughorn was under compulsion to allow her to take charge of the punishment.

Regulus was found with a black eye and a minor concussion after breakfast by Slughorn and he explained what had happened after being calmed down and assured that Melody was safe and well.

After taking potions for shock and the pain in her gut, as well as the healing of her ribs, Melody was let out of the Hospital Wing and joined Regulus in Potions class. Neither of them were punished for being late by Slughorn.

At lunch, Regulus and Melody told the Union what had happened as they sat at the Hufflepuff table. Everybody was furious, particularly Sirius.

"We're up against a lot, it seems." he said. "But at least you proved yourself to be a good boy, Reggie." He patted his brother on the back approvingly.

Regulus tried to smile, but still didn't have the heart. Narcissa was looking at him with raw hatred, something he had hoped would not happen, but at least he still had Andromeda. After the Union learned what Andromeda did to help Melody, they decided to invite her to join their club.

"Another Slytherin, particularly one in authority, will make the world of difference, hopefully." said Glenn Tozer.

"Here's hoping." added Ned.

Then it happened.

A single owl flew into the Hall and dropped a blood red letter at Sirius' place at the table.

"Oh, great." he muttered sarcastically.

"What's wrong?" asked Lily. "Just a letter."

"It's a Howler." said Regulus timidly.

"Yeah, I'd cover your ears if I were you." said Frank Longbottom.

Lily and Severus did so and saw that smoke seemed to be coming out of the envelope.

"Oh, well, best get this over with, mate." said James.

Sirius inhaled deeply and opened the envelope. One second later-

"YOU TRAITOROUS, CORRUPTING LITTLE SCUMBAG!" shrieked the voice of Walburga Black. "YOU NOT ONLY GET YOURSELF SORTED INTO THE HOUSE OF LIONS, BUT YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TRY AND TURN YOUR OWN BROTHER AGAINST THE HOUSE OF BLACK AND THE PURE WAYS! WE'VE HEARD ALL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY! HOW DARE YOU ASSAULT YOUR COUSIN AND HER FRIENDS! IF YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE AT HOGWARTS TO UPSET US, YOU WILL BE DISOWNED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT!" Then her voice toned down. "And Regulus, your father and I know you are a good boy really, please do not let your brother drag you down to his level. He will ruin you if you let him. He is nothing but a blood traitor. Do not follow his example. That is a warning!"

The Howler burned to ashes.

The whole Hall was silent. Malfoy had a smirk of triumph on his face, as did most of the Slytherins. Narcissa was grinning and Andromeda looked appalled.

Sirius and Regulus looked at each other. It was plain for the whole Union to see that it wasn't just cold-hearted Slytherins that were opposing them, it was the pressure of blood supremacist parents too, and Regulus found himself under the pressure immensely.

 **And that's Chapter 32! I'm so sorry that it has taken so long. I've had no end of distractions, finishing university for the year, going back to summer work, family issues etc. But hopefully things will get back to schedule now! Enjoy the chapter, please review and I hope you will continue to read! Thank you!**


	33. Chapter 33: The Sickness of Severus

**Chapter 33: The Sickness of Severus**

Severus had reconciled with Lily Potter in a pleasant manner not long after the incidents involving Sirius, Regulus and Melody. They apologised to one another and agreed to just look to one another's future, though unbeknown to Severus, Lily was still finding that difficult. All her guilt remained, and she still didn't feel that she was providing enough help to make up for how his original life turned out and the catalyst role she played in it. In the meantime, she had suggested to Severus to help the Slytherins in the Union to not let the pressure of people like Malfoy, Narcissa and their purist group bring them down to their levels.

Andromeda Black happily accepted Melody's offer to join the Union and treated her and Regulus very well. She did all she could to reassure them that joining the group that were not Pure-Blood fanatics was the better path to tread, as all Narcissa's desires would just lead to serving the Dark Lord and being little more than a slave to a maniac.

The second year exams were considerably more difficult than the first, and Severus and Lily worked their hardest, and on the last week beforehand, the Union meeting ended up being a study session for the majority.

Eventually, the exams ended and the Union members all felt that they had passed, though the OWL and NEWT students were less confident for obvious reasons.

A few weeks before term ended, Professor Millburn had not only resigned earlier than she had promised Dumbledore but had a reason for doing so. She had contracted spattergroit. The worst problem was that she was worried that she had possibly passed the early symptoms onto some of her students.

This turned out to be true. Alice had come down with symptoms and was sent straight to Madam Pomfrey. Several Hufflepuffs and Slytherins fell ill too.

Severus and Lily felt sorry for Alice and more so for Frank as he couldn't go within ten yards of his girlfriend and they were generally inseparable. Severus was particularly sadder to see Millburn go even though he knew she planned to. She had been a more pleasant teacher than Professor Reynolds and was never looking down her nose at anyone.

The end of year feast ended with Gryffindor winning the House Cup, which brought it to a draw between Severus and Lily, as Slytherin had won last year. The food was succulent, but the atmosphere was tense as some students were still worried that Millburn's spattergroit could have passed to any of them, and even some of the teachers had fallen ill, such as Flitwick and Slughorn, though the latter was still on his feet as his potions experience helped him sustain the disease to a mild extent and he still had an appetite. Severus didn't want to admit anything to Lily but kept his distance from her just in case…he was feeling peaky, had a sweat on and was losing his appetite. He decided to let Dumbledore know. If he was catching spattergroit, he wanted to ensure that Lily didn't catch it.

That evening, he knocked on the Headmaster's door.

"Enter!"

Severus did so, and Dumbledore saw immediately that Severus was paler than usual and could hardly stand.

"No need to explain, Severus. You don't wish to pass your incoming illness to your friends in the Union and would like to go home in an alternative fashion than the Hogwarts Express." said Dumbledore calmly.

Severus nodded, struggling not to let his head spin.

"Is it true, sir?" he asked. "Will I be scarred for life by this?"

"Only if you burst the pustules before they do of their own accord." said Dumbledore. "It's rather similar to the Muggle disease of chickenpox, only the spattergroit disease lasts considerably longer than chickenpox does."

Severus was not worried now. He had great patience and a lifetime's tolerance of pain and discomfort. He would not feel the temptation to scratch or pop the purple pustules before their time as much as others would.

Within half an hour, Eileen and Robin were informed of Severus' condition and Robin suggested that he be Flooed to St Mungo's immediately, if his mother consented. Eileen was distressed for her son, but all three assured her that Severus would be safe and in good hands.

Severus was taken to St Mungo's by Dumbledore, whom showed no concern at possibly getting infected. Another half hour later, Severus found himself in a secluded bedroom to himself, quarantined to visitors for a whole month, except the company of his heavily disinfected and protected Healers.

Severus was thoroughly depressed. He had no means of communicating with Lily, either Evans or Potter, he couldn't see his mother, his grandparents, his friends…at this point, he'd settle for just seeing Robin if it meant he'd have some familiar company.

"If I had only fully remembered and maintained my magical talents from my last life." he muttered to himself. "I could have been like Slughorn by now, and I wouldn't be infectious."

But he knew full well that even if he did use a Potion to lessen the severity of his condition, he would still look hideous and would not dare show his face to Lily. He wanted to win her heart, not surrender it to someone better looking like James Potter so quickly.

Unbeknown to Severus, he needn't have worried about James trying to win over Lily. On top of having Sirius, Remus and Peter over for a holiday visit, James had invited Marlene McKinnon and Rebecca Castle too. Sirius was in close contact with Marlene and had requested her to come too. James' parents agreed, and she and Rebecca arrived, the latter at James' request. Unlike some, James saw the connection between Severus and Lily, and as he owed Severus a life debt, he ultimately decided to repay it by letting them progress their own potential relationship and he could find someone else. Fortunately for Severus, James had still been too young to gain any physical and emotional attachment to Lily at the time Severus saved him from Remus, and so he gave up his minor affections for her not long after. Over the past six months however, James had seen somebody else who was making his newfound testosterone hormones run wild: Rebecca Castle. She was, to James, gorgeous. A slim figure, a wavy lock of blonde hair, with strawberry highlights, and a friendly and lightly freckled face. Sirius often teased him about it, but James countered with how Sirius began to slobber and slather whenever Marlene was in the room.

"Touché." came the mocking response.

As for Lily, she was feeling particularly put out at home. Her parents made her feel most welcome and gave her some of her favourite dinners on the first week home, but she missed Severus deeply and was so upset when she realized he wasn't on the train home. Eileen came over later that evening to explain to the Evans family that Severus was at St Mungo's, having contracted the spattergroit disease. This greatly upset Lily and she hoped for regular updates on her best friend's convalescence.

After a week of moping about Severus, Lily found herself being teased by Petunia.

"You look so dismal without him." she said. "Any chance that there's something going on here besides friendship?"

"Huh?!" cried Lily in surprise. "W-what do you mean?"

"Well, you're both thirteen now, you're both getting interested in the opposite-"

"DON'T SAY THAT WORD!" cried Lily, covering her ears, making her elder sister laugh.

"Nothing wrong with saying that word, Lily." she giggled.

"W-w-well, no I don't think so." answered Lily. "I don't think we like each other…that way."

"How do you know?" asked Petunia.

Lily didn't know. She remembered multiple occasions as of late where she tried to hide a blush from her best friend and Mary often hinted that she and Severus spent more time together for a boy and girl who were just friends than most people. She decided to divert the subject to avoid answering that question.

"Well…you're nearly fifteen and when have I ever seen you interested in the opposite you-know-what?" she asked.

Petunia flushed.

"Well, you're never around that much anymore. How would you know?" She stuck out her tongue and fled to her bedroom.

Lily knew Petunia had a point, but the flush now made her wonder if her sister was having trouble of a romantic nature or was just worried about their protective parents catching wind of the fact that she was indeed dating somebody and didn't want to present the young teenage boy to them.

A few days later, the two sisters heard their parents arguing. Apparently, a woman named Sarah Miller Gearhart was being recognised as the first lesbian to get tenure in a faculty position.

"These Americans with their ideas." said Trevor in a boisterous manner.

"Don't be so close-minded!" snapped Rose.

Trevor huffed in response.

Lily looked to Petunia, expecting her to share a head shake and an eye roll, but Petunia wasn't there. She was heading for the front door, shoes on.

"I'm going out to see Millie and Carly!" she called.

A moment later, she was gone.

Lily was a little confused. She and Petunia were only just previously discussing the idea of visiting Diagon Alley together, if Eileen consented to take them, as she still couldn't see Severus in St Mungo's, but now her sister had passed up the idea on a whim. And was that fear and terror on her face before she left the house?

The following month, Severus was finally allowed to have visitors. Eileen and Robin visited first giving Severus some summer homework which he was keen to finish with, and then his grandparents came too, noting how well Severus was looking compared to when Septimus contracted it in his forties. Severus was given several sets of sweets and other fancies to indulge on, but not being the best sweet tooth in the world, he took his time with consuming them.

The person that Severus wanted to see most of all was Lily, but she didn't come until a week later. She explained it was so that he could have his first week with his family by his side. He wanted to say she was as good as family to him but restrained himself.

Lily wasn't alone when she visited. Mary and Petunia were with her too, the former being a house guest with Lily for the week. She and Petunia had apparently hit it off as friends, and both looked concerned for Severus. Petunia was trying her best not to hurl over the grotesque spots all over his visage.

"See? One benefit for not being a witch, Tuney." said Lily. "You can't contract magical diseases."

Petunia had to agree.

Severus accepted the flowers from all three girls, thankful he couldn't get hay fever like Muggles do, and he tried his best to hide his face from Lily, but to no avail. She hugged him regardless of the state he was in. Petunia and Mary suppressed gagging but nodded to each other in agreement.

Eventually, they went back home, but as Lily went to get some ices from the ice cream van that had just arrived, Mary and Petunia went into a discussion.

"You see the connection those two have, right?" asked Petunia.

"Definitely!" said Mary. "I don't care how much they seem to fancy each other though, if my dream boyfriend was covered in purple spots as bulbous and big as doughnuts, I would not touch him for a fortune! She really must love him!"

Both girls threw into fits of laughter. When Lily inquired, they both dismissed it as a Muggle joke Petunia had told Mary. Lily rolled her eyes, buying the lie completely.

Later, they listened to some music on the radio. It was a band called Lavender Country. The songs were particularly gesturing the outgoing nature of homosexuality.

"They're really making an effort for gay rights nowadays." said Lily.

"You mean when two men like each other in the way Frank and Alice do?" asked Mary.

"Or two women." said Petunia in a dismissive sort of way.

Best switch it off or Dad'll go mad." said Lily.

Petunia did so.

It was mid-August and Severus was getting worried. Although he had seen the worst of his spattergroit, he was still not recovering and was still covered in spots, which thanks to his Healers and his own self-control, were bursting naturally and not leaving hideous scars. He knew school was getting closer and he had lost a whole summer with Lily. But he had to recover soon or he would return to Hogwarts in a terrible state, and nobody would come near him for fear of infection…even Lily. Another thing bothering him was because of his condition and his partially public surroundings, Dumbledore had written a letter saying he couldn't send the Resurrection Stone to him. He would have to wait until he came back to school or recovered enough to go to the privacy of home.

He had some visitors that day. Firstly, Professor Millburn herself came in, donned in a pale blue dressing gown and slippers that were pressed down at heel. She looked at Severus with a sympathetic smile.

"Professor." said Severus.

"Not anymore, Mr Snape." she said. "As I said, I will not return to Hogwarts this coming year. Once I am recovered, I will be going off on my research travels."

"I wish you the best of luck with that, Miss Millburn." said Severus earnestly.

"And I you with your studies at Hogwarts." said Millburn. "You and Miss Evans were naturals at Defence Against the Dark Arts. A lot came close, but nobody matched yourself, Miss Evans and Mr Potter in your skills. Your talents rivalled some sixth years, I must say!"

Severus felt some flattery here but remained silent.

"I apologise for putting you in here, Mr Snape." said Millburn with a sad hint in her voice. "I should have left sooner when I got my symptoms. Now, I've ruined your summer."

"Uh, it's er, fine." replied Severus, not wanting to cause an awkward farewell to a teacher who had been better than the thieving Professor Reynolds.

Millburn patted his shoulder. "Thank you, young sir." she said.

A moment after that, she went back to her own bedroom to finish her convalescence. Severus rested for a couple of hours before Lily came in. Petunia and Mary were absent.

"Mum's taken Tuney to Diagon Alley for some ice cream at Fortescue's." she explained. "And Mary's gone to stay with Quincey for a few days."

"Sounds fun." said Severus bitterly.

"Don't be like that, Sevvy." said Lily sympathetically. "I promise we will make it up over Christmas, Easter and next summer."

"I'll hold you to that." warned Severus.

Lily slapped his arm, prompting a small yelp of pain as she hit one of Severus' more sore spots.

"Sorry!" she cried.

"Don't worry."

The two of them chatted, when one of the Healers, a Miss Ethel Cornet came in.

"Mr Prince, we have the results of your more recent tests, and I am glad to say that you are recovering at a natural and satisfactory pace."

"Not quick enough for me." muttered Severus.

"Be polite." chastised Lily.

"Sorry." murmured her friend.

"However, there is some bad news." continued Healer Cornet.

"What's that?" asked Severus mildly.

"Your recovery will not be complete until the beginning of October." said the Healer quietly.

Severus' jaw dropped in horror. Not only did he have to continue sitting in this hospital bed for another month and a half, but he would also miss the first month of his third year at Hogwarts…a month and a half without his friends, without Lily…more time for her to bond with James Potter again…

"But Hogwarts-!"

"We are going to inform Headmaster Dumbledore and your Head of House, Mr Prince." said Healer Cornet raising a hand in a mild way of silencing him before he got into a fit.

But Severus was beyond not throwing a fit.

"How will I ever catch up?! How will I see my frien-?!"

"I'm sure your teachers will update you and give you homework regularly…but I'm afraid there's not much I can do about your friends." said Healer Cornet pityingly.

Severus hung his head low and tried not to break down. He didn't want to stay here for this long and without his friends for company.

"Can't I be transferred to the Hogwarts Hospital Wing?" he asked desperately.

"No, it is compulsory for patients with spattergroit to remain here instead of school. Besides that bed saved for you could be needed by another student." said Cornet.

Severus felt that the Healer was being deliberately unreasonable.

"The only other option available to you is if your parents consent to care for you themselves, but as neither of them are Healers, I would not recommend it." continued Cornet.

"My mother is an expert in Potions!" cried Severus. "If you give her a list of potions I will need during recovery, she can make them, I'm sure of it!"

Cornet frowned. The boy seemed most ungrateful for St Mungo's dedication and hospitality to him as a patient under its care.

"I will discuss it with your parents when they visit you this evening. They have said they plan to do so each evening after work, I believe."

Severus nodded in confirmation.

"Thank you, Healer." he said after a final nudge from Lily.

That appeased Cornet somewhat, but she still had a stiff lip upon her exit.

"That was a bit ungrateful of you, Sev." she said.

"Lils, think how you'd feel being cooped up in a room that's unfamiliar to you for a month and a half and possibly rising up to three or at worse, four months!"

Lily saw Severus' point.

"But did you have to act so drastic about it in front of someone who has been taking care of you all this time?" she asked.

Severus saw her point. He had been unused to showing gratitude to anybody in his past life as he had little to be grateful for, as no amount of praise would bring the love of his life back to him.

Times had changed now, and he had to remember that…but at the same time, he was still afraid of Lily getting too close to James Potter again. Could he lose her again in this life because of a stupid disease that a teacher gave to him?

"I'll apologise to her at my next opportunity." he said quietly.

"Okay." said Lily. "You'd better. I'm not best friends with unrepentant boys!"

"You sound like your mother!" teased Severus.

"Must I smack those spots again?" warned Lily.

"No…Mum." Severus laughed as Lily raised her arm threateningly.

Later, after Lily had gone home, Severus waited for his mother and Robin to arrive. They did so at eight o clock that evening.

Healer Cornet had explained to them prior to going to Severus' room about his suggestion of being home cared by Eileen and her potioneering skills.

"Could I see a list of the potions required?" asked Eileen.

"I prepared one." said Cornet, handing a piece of green parchment to Eileen, whom scanned through it.

"I can brew these with no trouble." said Eileen. "The ingredients are not too hard to get hold of either, are they?"

"No, and as Severus is still a patient, we are prepared to offer you some ingredients for a week after his discharge, if you consent to his doing so." said Cornet.

"I think we can manage that, thank you!" said Eileen politely.

The three of them told Severus about this, and he looked relieved, though more mildly than he'd liked to as he was trying to be more tactful after listening to Lily's advice.

"You can be discharged tomorrow, Mr Prince." said Cornet.

"Healer…thank you for looking after me and I'm sorry if I sounded ungrateful earlier."

The Healer smiled kindly.

"Not at all, Mr Prince. You're not the first patient I've seen to feel restless and uncomfortable being in St Mungo's for an extended amount of time, especially when it's their first time." she replied.

Severus felt relieved.

As Healer Cornet left, he embraced Eileen softly, and Robin ruffled his hair, which Severus did not object to. It didn't worry him much nowadays, and it was more affectionate than anything his father ever did in his memory.

It was the day that the students returned to Hogwarts. Lily came to see Severus in his bedroom before she set off for the station bright and early. She Flooed in after breakfast, came up to his room and promised to owl him after the first day of classes to tell him what he missed out on in the classes they shared together.

"Let me know what the new Defence teacher is like if you have them on the first day." said Severus.

"I will, and we'll introduce Andromeda into the Union as planned, and try to recruit others." said Lily.

"And send me any homework notes you can copy by magic each week, please."

"Of course! And-"

"Lily! You'll be late!" called Eileen.

Lily sighed.

"See you in a month's time, Sev. I'll miss you."

After a slight hesitation, Lily kissed Severus' cheek, despite his grotesque appearance.

Severus sat frozen for a moment, shocked at what Lily had just done.

Next thing he knew, Lily was gone and he heard her speak aloud her home address, then the whoosh of the fireplace in the living room.

"See you next month, Lils." he whispered gently, caressing the spot, the literal spot where Lily had kissed him. He almost collapsed in bed with a shiver of pure happiness.

 **(Here's Chapter 33! Hope you all like it! Please review! Thanks for reading! Chapter 34 coming soon!)**


	34. Chapter 34: The Late Arrival to 3rd Year

**Chapter 34: The Late Arrival to Third Year**

"You whaaaat?!" squealed Mary.

Lily's face was about as red as her hair.

"I…kissed Sev. On the cheek!" she hastily added.

Mary looked positively evil with the plastered grin on her face.

"I knew it! I knew it! I absolutely called on it with your sister!" she laughed.

"What's so funny?" asked Lily indignantly.

"I can just imagine you trying to kiss Severus on the cheek and end up snogging a spattergroit spot instead!" cackled Mary.

Lily frowned. "I may have done…but it still felt nice to kiss him…I have…wondered…and now that I have, I also want to see what it would be like to kiss his cheek without spots…or maybe somewhere other than the cheek."

"Like here?" asked Mary, pointing to her lips suggestively.

"Maybe." murmured Lily shyly.

Mary squealed hopping on the spot, making Lily positively sick.

"Must you be so dramatic? I only kissed his cheek." she said crossly.

"Yeah, but we've been wondering when one of you would make a move!"

"All of you?!"

"Yeah, you clearly like each other!" cried Mary, frustrated at Lily's naivety. "You hang out all the time, even though you've both made friends of the same gender here! You always visit Hagrid together, you have had talks of going to Hogsmeade together! You never make plans without involving the other, and I'm sorry, Lily, but your hair is nothing compared to your face whenever Severus is around lately!"

Lily tried to hide her blush at that point.

Mary hugged her.

"Seriously though, Lily, if you like him, give it a try! Maybe even invite him to Hogsmeade on a date!" she suggested.

"Um, I know I said I like him…and that I kissed him…"

"On the cheek!" added Mary melodramatically.

"…but I'm not sure I'm ready to date him. I mean, we're only thirteen."

"The perfect age to gain experience about dating!" said Mary expertly.

"What makes you such an expert?" scoffed Lily. "You've never been on a date in your life, I'll wager!"

"You'd lose that wager!" teased Mary, folding her arms in mock offence.

"Oh? Is there something you're not telling me?" asked Lily with a cheeky smirk of her own.

"Maybe, maybe not." said Mary innocently.

"You're so full of it!" replied Lily.

Mary stuck out her tongue in response as the two girls, along with Marlene and Rebecca got ready for bed on their first night back as third year students.

In the Ravenclaw Common Room, Quincey was feeling less cheerful as his best friend was not there with him and would not be for a whole month.

"Look on the bright side." said Nora Waynefleet before he went up to bed. "You have the Union for company still and you can hang out with Elizabeth and I until Severus returns."

Quincey thanked Nora for her kindness and went up to bed to read up on the new Defence text.

At dinner, they had all been introduced to the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, a Professor Murdoch, a Pure-Blood wizard, known for experience in the Auror's office at the Ministry, though not as experienced as Rufus Scrimgeour and Alastor 'Mad Eye' Moody were. Frank took a liking to the middle-aged man with greying black hair instantly.

"He'll hopefully be able to coach me on Auror training!" he said enthusiastically. "I could get some experience early on to speed up my official training."

"Is that what you want to be then?" asked Quincey.

"Always has wanted to." said Alice, whom had recovered mostly from her spattergroit, though she had a couple of pockmarks that may or may not fade in a few years' time. "Both of us have."

Quincey nodded considering the possibility himself, hence why he was reading up on his text in bed. He absently looked over to Severus' bed near his and hoped his friend was coping with his spattergroit illness.

Severus was resting in bed for weeks, though did come down for meals at his own insistence after his mother pandered to him for a week and never let him out of his bedroom.

The potions were working, and he was gradually recovering. But he couldn't help but worry. He missed Lily a lot and was constantly paranoid that James Potter was taking advantage of his absence to make the moves on her. He felt some joy at Lily's kiss of his cheek too, but was still unsure of her intentions, not to mention fairly certain that it was not entirely pleasant for her considering the state of his complexion at the time. Fortunately, that issue was increasingly subsiding with the effects of the medical potions.

Eileen doted on her son and received two weeks off work and was even supplied help and nourishment from two of Septimus' house elves, though she still wished to be independent after so many years of living under her parents' or Tobias' thumb. Robin understood this about his girlfriend and left her to her own devices unless she asked for it. However, he didn't know that some women don't ask for help, yet they expect it.

Luckily, there had been no major fallouts yet, but that was because Eileen was still scared of potential repercussions for answering or fighting back, and Robin was too concerned for Eileen's fears to say or do anything against her.

Severus could tell this from both sides and knew they needed to get past these insecurities if the relationship was to proceed and grow healthily.

"How are you this morning, Severus?" asked Robin at the breakfast table, eating buttered toast whilst reading the Daily Prophet.

"Not bad, I guess." said Severus. "But I wouldn't mind getting back to Hogwarts, and soon."

"Don't worry, just another couple of weeks and you'll be on your way." said Eileen kindly.

Severus smiled softly and helped himself to some bacon sandwiches.

His homework was sent often by Lily and his teachers, and he received a group message from the Union, telling of how they were proceeding well without him, and recruited two more Hufflepuffs so far. They also spoke of Professor Murdoch and how he strictly but adequately taught their classes.

"Sounds like another improvement from that teacher who died." said Robin.

"And hopefully more responsible than that foolish woman from the past year." said Eileen coldly.

"She was a great teacher, Mum." defended Severus. "She didn't realize her symptoms until it was too late. She's not a trained Healer."

"If you insist on being lenient, very well." said Eileen. "But nevertheless, she is the reason you are in your current condition."

"Like you said, another couple of weeks and I'll be back at Hogwarts in no time." said Severus.

Eileen wanted to point out how far behind Severus could be by then, but as she was the one trying to dissuade her son from taking that negative point of view, she suppressed the need to speak up and went on with cleaning the dishes, with magic.

It was early October. The leaves were by now fully browned and were rapidly falling from the trees of the Forbidden Forest and the Whomping Willow itself, giving an exposed view for people in the higher parapets of the never-changing castle.

Lily was impatient and more and more nervous. She desperately wanted Severus to come back and spend time with her. Tomorrow was when he would return. Dumbledore had arranged for him to arrive by Floo Network in his office that evening after dinner and would go straight to bed in the Ravenclaw rooms, but that meant Quincey and the other Ravenclaws would have the benefit of reuniting with him first.

"You'll see him in the morning." said Mary kindly.

"It's just been such a miserable month without him." said Lily. "And we spent next to no time together at all over the summer."

"True, but you did have lil old me!" said Mary sweetly.

"Yeah, but not so much this month." said Lily. "Where do you keep going after class?"

"Maybe you can find that out soon." said a voice.

It was James Potter, accompanied by Sirius and Peter.

"Thought you guys were hanging out with Remus." said Lily.

"He wanted to take a nap." said Peter.

"Feeling a little under the weather." explained Sirius.

"Wanted to get some rest in before dinner tonight." added James.

"What did you mean by she might find out where I've been going after class?" asked Mary, a trifle nervously.

"We've been working on something." said Sirius. "Might come in handy in stopping disputes between the houses."

"What is it?" asked Lily.

"Not telling." teased Peter. "But it's brilliant!"

"And helpful." promised James. "Still pining at Severus not being back yet?"

"She can't wait to see him in the morning." said Mary cheekily.

"Severus and Lily sitting in the Whomping Willow!" sang Peter.

"Oh, shut up!" snapped Lily.

Peter consented, but James was laughing like mad.

"Is that why?" he asked. "Didn't know for sure, but yeah, we all wondered."

"She-"

"Quiet, Mary!" warned Lily savagely.

"I won't force you to kiss and tell." said James.

"I might though." said Sirius. "James has had some experience in the kissing profession over the summer."

James stamped on his foot.

"OW!"

"Oh? Do tell!" giggled Mary.

"Uh, nope! Nothing to tell! His mouth is malfunctioning just as much as Severus' health and Peter's wand! Hehe, gotta go! NOW!" he barked to Sirius and Peter, neither of them keeping a straight face.

"Well, well, sounds like we're not the only ones thinking of romance at the early age of thirteen." said Mary, mocking Lily's own words.

"Well, I don't care about that right now." said Lily sadly. "I want Sev back."

"Cos you loooove-"

Lily smacked Mary round the head before she could finish the sentence.

After the feast that evening, Dumbledore returned to his office, expecting either Eileen Prince or Robin Kennedy to Floo Severus into the room.

Eileen did so not long after his own arrival.

"Robin offered to take him to the Hog's Head, but the boss wouldn't let him leave to escort Severus to the castle." she said.

"That's 'the boss' for you." sighed Dumbledore, thinking of his bad-tempered brother, Aberforth.

"If anything is wrong with him, will you inform me immediately?" asked the concerned mother.

"Yes, Miss Prince, your son is in safe hands, and I daresay he'll lodge a complaint against me personally if he is not satisfied." replied the good-natured headmaster.

"Thank you." said Eileen, though she still had a mistrustful attitude towards Dumbledore, considering all he had done to her son in his past life.

After a farewell hug, which Severus felt embarrassed about now, especially as a teenager, but allowed due to the lack of affection they shared in the past, Eileen Flooed back home, leaving him with the Headmaster.

"Happy to be back, Mr Prince?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, sir." said Severus. "I assume I cannot go and see Lily."

"Not tonight, but you have my permission to speak to another version." Dumbledore placed the Resurrection Stone on the desk, suppressing his own desire to use it, which he had by now gained a tolerance for with help from his own advanced Occlumency skills.

Severus felt brightened in spirits, though was still eager to reunite with the Lily who had kissed his cheek the month before.

"Thank you, sir." he said.

"After you're done, you may place the Stone by my desk again and leave." said Dumbledore cheerily. "Good evening, Mr Prince."

"Good evening, Professor." said Severus.

After Dumbledore vacated the room and into his own private chambers, Severus seized the Stone with more desire than he had encountered the other times, but that was possibly because of the fact that he was late speaking to Lily Potter and was keen to catch up and see if she had any news for him, as much as he had for her.

He turned the Stone thrice in his hand, and Lily appeared with a broad smile, her hair flowing with a soft breeze upon her arrival.

"Here at last, eh, Sev?" she said.

"Yeah, sorry." he replied sheepishly.

"Don't be." chuckled Lily. "I'm only teasing, I saw what had happened to you." She sounded grim.

"Just a few spots, that's all." he said, surveying himself. He only had a few left, but they looked hideous, but not infectious and were soon going to be ready to burst on their own without any scarring. However, Severus did have a scar on his left hand after sleeping on it overnight and bursting the pustule prematurely in the process.

"Yeah and there's no major damage to your visage." said Lily approvingly.

"I guess, though…"

"What?"

"Isn't my visage naturally hideous anyway?" He felt silly talking so superficially after hearing it from young girls in both of his lives.

"No. If anything it looks even better, after you sorted your hair out and had your nose fixed properly by your mother." said Lily, fondly remembering Severus' best birthday to date.

"Oh." said Severus, looking relieved, yet uncomfortable.

"What is it?" asked Lily.

"Well…um…not that it matters now, but is that another reason you didn't…want me?"

Lily sighed. "I've always wanted you, Sev. Maybe not in the way you wanted, but your looks meant nothing to me. I didn't care about the way you looked, or Petunia would have succeeded in keeping me away from you during those first few weeks we'd known each other. I'm not as superficial as, say, Marlene McKinnon or even Mary."

Severus frowned in remembrance to the old Mary MacDonald, the one who had been amongst the more notorious of Lily's Gryffindor friends who wanted her to get shot of the slimy, greasy, freaky Slytherin who hovered over her like a shadow for many years, and was also among the most delighted and snarky to learn of Lily's decision to finally get rid of him from her life.

"I'm sorry to lower the spirits, no pun intended." said Severus morosely.

"Never mind, Sev." said Lily. "Like we agreed, we let the past go. Besides, Mary has been quite repentant towards you since she found out all you did for me. She's quite keen to apologise to you once you return here."

"That Mary is dead?" asked Severus.

"Yeah, she died during the First War." explained Lily. "She was killed by my side, fighting the Death Eaters. I think it was Dolohov's doing…or was it Mulciber?"

Severus shrugged, but was also deeply worried.

"Check with her the date of her death, and her killer." he said urgently. "Then tell it to me when we next speak. I can try and make sure it doesn't happen again this time round."

"That's a good idea." smiled Lily. "I'm sure Mary will appreciate that."

"Besides…" added Severus, "…I'm okay with this one. She's much nicer. The Lily I'm meant to be with this time round must have really put her in her place."

"She did." said Lily. "I saw the conversation. I was interested to see what this new Mary was like."

Severus smiled slightly.

"Any news on the Horcruxes?" he asked Lily.

"No, but Bellatrix and Rodolphus are becoming more and more loyal to Voldemort and he is beginning to see their potential. Plus he was on very good terms with their fathers, as far as Voldemort can go in that sense. So, he sees a lot of promise in them both. Hopefully, he'll hand them the Cup by the next time we meet."

Severus nodded in hope.

"Sooner the better. Hopefully I won't have to save Mary's life. I can't afford for Voldemort to still be alive by the time the prophecy comes into being." he murmured.

"If anyone can stop him in this world, it's you, Sev." said Lily with full confidence.

"You seem so sure."

"Look how far you've come, Sev." she said. "You have friends and family helping you now, you even have friends, best friends, watching over you in Heaven, willing to help you in your quest to take down Voldemort! You can do it!"

Severus smiled faintly. He still didn't like getting his hopes up too high.

"Thank you, Lils." he said.

"Always, Sev."

Severus' lips trembled at that first word. He remembered the memory of confirming his eternal love for Lily to Dumbledore only too well; the day Dumbledore realized just how severely he had underestimated Severus' love and the agony of heartbreak and guilt he had suffered for so long.

"Shall we call it a day?" asked Lily. She could see that Severus was feeling the haunts of his memories.

Severus nodded softly. He was blushing with embarrassment. Without Occlumency, he felt awfully exposed and vulnerable, and that frightened him.

"You need to embrace the past, Sev." said Lily. "I still have to, even in Heaven. But embracing and accepting the past is the best way forward, and you've been very lucky to have an additional course to that acceptance too. Don't waste it by being afraid, okay?"

"Okay, Lily." promised Severus.

"And by the way, for a first kiss of affection, that one was probably not the best to remember and to witness. Maybe try to make your first romantic kiss more enjoyable?" she teased.

Severus nearly dropped the Stone in surprise and embarrassment.

"You think she…meant something more than friendship and concern in that kiss?" he asked.

"I don't think, I know." smiled Lily. "Who knows me better than…well, me? Besides, she's been speaking with Mary about it…and though she's afraid of falling for you, especially whilst so young, there is no doubt in my mind…she's falling in love with you, Severus Snape."

Severus couldn't help but grin eagerly. Lily had never looked so happy for him in her life or afterlife, and she certainly had never seen him look so happy in any of his lives.

"Good luck, Sev." she said. "See you after Christmas."

"See you soon, Lils. And thank you!" added Severus, before dropping the Stone.

The next day, Severus arrived for Potions and sat beside Quincey, as Lily had partnered with Mary. Usually, it was Quincey and Mary together, then Severus and Lily, but due to his absence, Slughorn had changed the partnering for the year, and Quincey had to work with other couples, mostly Lily and Mary, until Severus' return.

"Great, so no more Lily in classes." sighed Severus.

"One: only for this year, and maybe not even that, you could gradually shift back after Christmas." said Quincey in mock hurt. "And two: what's so bad about being partnered up with me, pray?"

"Well, for a start, you can't brew the Strengthening Solution for toffee flavoured Bertie Bott's Beans!" teased Severus in mock vanity.

Quincey knew better than to club his best friend over the head in Potions Class, so saved it for History of Magic where no-one, least of all, Professor Binns, would notice.

Severus, thanks to Lily's letters and parcels filled with homework, had next to no trouble fitting in and catching up on the homework. But that was not all that Lily had done to help. She had also written the important learnings of Potions, Herbology, History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures for Petunia to choose from to learn once she and Severus were able to help teach her some magic.

Petunia was always happy to hear of their adventures at Hogwarts, but when Mary visited, it was plain for anyone to see that she was suppressing impatience at learning these wonders for herself.

At lunch, Severus and Lily had a proper reunion, but Severus was nervous about starting Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures. He had not done any homework on it yet, but Lily said there was none set by Professor Kettleburn, and she did not choose to do Ancient Runes, but Divination instead, as the idea of being able to see the future intrigued her no end.

"Pity I didn't know your choices before." said Severus, over a goblet of pumpkin juice. "I could have told you that Divination is absolute rubbish. Prophecies don't always come to pass, and you have to actually be born with the Sight to be able to accomplish the subject."

"Professor Uran says it is entirely possible to gain the Sight if one broadens their mind enough in class." insisted Lily.

"He has to say that, or he'd lose his living!" retorted Severus.

"Oh, shush!" giggled Lily. "You're just jealous that I'm going to able to see the future and tell you that you'll be a grumpy old teacher one day throwing out detentions everywhere!"

Severus shuddered. That was more or less a perfect prediction of how his old life turned out. He was almost frightened that Lily would see his past in a crystal ball.

In Care of Magical Creatures with Kettleburn, Severus learned to pet a Hippogriff, though he was still tremendously concerned for his safety with them, considering how he was once attacked by Buckbeak when trying to flee Hogwarts after murdering Dumbledore. Quincey was keener, but Kettleburn reprimanded him for advancing too quickly and narrowly avoided getting slashed by one bronze coloured Hippogriff named Winghoof.

Severus was even more worried when he went to Ancient Runes later that week. As Lily hadn't been able to supply him with the basics and the homework, he was heavily behind.

"I can give you remedial lessons, Mr Prince." offered Professor Babbling, whom was fairly young, a new teacher for that year apparently, brunette with a firm yet friendly expression in black robes.

"Thank you, Professor." said Severus, though he felt a little ashamed he had to take remedial classes.

By the end of the week, Severus was swamped with Ancient Runes homework but fairly up to date with the other subjects, though he was asked by Kettleburn to do extra studies on two other creatures that had been explored the previous month.

He also approved of Professor Murdoch, who was clearly a master of his craft, though Professor Millburn was a more sympathetic teacher, and he had seen the man turn very strict when other students, such as Peter and some Slytherins struggled with some defensive wand movements.

That evening, after a lengthy dinner with Lily and the Union as well as doing homework for an hour with Quincey, Nora and Elizabeth, Severus went to bed. He was happy to be home, or one of his homes. Hogwarts had always been his most beloved home. He hated Spinner's End in his old life, and although it was a happy home now, he preferred Hogwarts still as it was the only place he truly called home and sanctuary in both of his lives, despite all the terrors that took place for him within it.

"I hope…"

But he didn't really know what to hope for most. He thought of destroying Voldemort, of finding love with Lily, of having a happier, more contented life than last time…but he knew he still had some figurative distance to go before those three hopes could begin to come to fruition.

On that note, and heavy-headed from his long week of education, Severus fell fast asleep.

 **So that's Chapter 34! Hope you all like it! Chapter 35 will be up soon enough! Thanks for your patience and for reading! Please review!**


	35. Chapter 35: The Halloween Horror

**Chapter 35: The Halloween Horror**

Malfoy was none too pleased so far this year. He had been denied the role of Head Boy in favour of Ned Tozer. This was because of his consistent bullying of the Union and the lack of respect of his prefect position. Slughorn had expressed disappointment in him and claimed that the young man was lucky to not have lost his prefect role as well.

"I hope there will be a Slytherin Head Boy next time." sighed Slughorn, shaking his head in disapproval.

Malfoy was beyond furious, and Narcissa kept having to console and soothe him. Andromeda shook her head annoyedly. She had made Head Girl which cheered up Slughorn, but she was condemned by her sister and the other Slytherins for joining up with the Black brothers and their Union.

"I will get that Union group and those blood traitors if it's the last thing I do!" fumed Malfoy.

"Please…be lenient to Andromeda at least." said Narcissa piteously. "She is my sister after all."

Bellatrix had as good as disowned Andromeda already as she was beginning to date a Muggle-born, but Narcissa, as the younger sister, still felt affectionate to her sister despite the path Andromeda was taking.

"If you wish, Cissy." said her boyfriend. "But she is making her bed. Betraying you."

"I know…but I love her." replied Narcissa sadly.

Malfoy hugged her. "And I love you."

Narcissa loved when he acted this way. She sometimes wished they weren't so ambitious and more affectionate, but that was what came with being a respectable Slytherin.

Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws on the other hand were quite affectionate, as was shown with Frank and Alice, the former now a prefect, and Ned was dating a sixth year Hufflepuff, Velma Sucksby, whom had been one of the new recruits for the Union in Severus' absence.

Severus and Lily had been observing the two couples with some interest as they both harboured feelings for the other and were both now aware of the other's feelings but were still too shy to act on it. Severus was more frightened than anything else despite Lily Potter's reassurances.

James, Sirius, Peter and Remus were still working on their little secret project which was soon to be known as the Marauder's Map. Remus, however, was falling ill again and needed to rest. Peter and the majority of the Union were unaware of his lycanthropy still, but Severus, James and Sirius were still remaining respectfully silent on the subject, even around Remus himself.

As for Mary, she still seemed to be wandering off at random and without explanation, but Severus noticed that Quincey was acting oddly too. He always returned from the library in a more private mood and always had an odd colour about him, as though he had been running or exercising.

However, by the end of the month, the people who were the centre of attention were James and Sirius. They had both openly told the Union during one of their meetings that they were going on a double date in Hogsmeade on Halloween with Rebecca Castle and with Marlene McKinnon respectively. The whole Union congratulated them on that.

"So, what about you, Severus?" said Peter.

"What about me?" asked Severus in a warning tone.

Peter smirked and caught the bluff. "When are you gonna ask Lily out?"

Severus wanted to throttle the Gryffindor but decided that would be against Union policy and purposes.

Lily was blushing too. All the others laughed and patted their backs, Quincey rubbed Severus' hair humorously, much to his discomfort.

Regulus was the only one not fully participating in the laughter. He had a lot on his shoulders. He feared his parents' hatred, his cousin and her boyfriend's wrath, the safety of his friend, Melody and that of his brother's too. On top of that, he still felt some discomfort hanging around Lily and Quincey, and he was still suspicious of Remus.

Severus knew this and was hopeful that the Marauders were progressing on the Map's creation, as they could not all keep an eye on Regulus, especially at night.

"I've an idea." said James. "Although Remus has that Potion, he could still be seen and exposed by Regulus or maybe one of the others if they see him go into the Willow. I could follow him in my Cloak, and stand guard by the mouth of the hollow, to see that no-one tries to enter it, though the Willow itself should do a good job at that anyway."

"Good idea." said Sirius.

Severus wasn't so sure, but he did appreciate the idea of Remus having more security.

They often wanted to help Remus reveal his lycanthropy to the Union, but knew they were all bound to silence, unless Remus himself felt it safe to divulge, and with Regulus feeling insecure, he knew it wasn't the right time.

The group were all excited for Halloween, as they were allowed a day off to visit Hogsmeade for the first time.

Severus was particularly keen to go as although he had been home an extra month, he was excited to see Eileen and Robin at the Hog's Head together. He planned to arrange a routine with Lily to fit in all the attractions of the village. The Union initially planned to split up to explore the shops in their own order and interests, while meeting up later in the day at the Three Broomsticks.

"Why don't we explore the shops together?" said Lily. "You and me and anyone who may wish to tag along with us. Then we'll go the Hog's Head to meet your mother and Robin, have one Butterbeer and a chat, then double back to the Three Broomsticks for another one and to meet with the others."

"Good plan." said Severus.

"I'm so excited!" said Lily joyously.

"Me too." said Severus, though obviously not as excited as Lily was.

Both had silently decided that their first trip to Hogsmeade would not be a first date as well, as Lily was still unsure of starting a relationship at their age, and Severus was too nervous and afraid of asking her out, but he vowed to make an effort by fourth year at the latest. He also felt more at ease after learning of James' newfound romance with Rebecca Castle. He decided to innocently ask why he didn't pursue Lily at a later date.

Meanwhile, on the day before Halloween, Lucius Malfoy and his cronies were in class with Professor Flitwick, along with Murdoch, as the spell they were being taught was primarily a charm, but Murdoch was also a volunteer to show how the spell could be effective in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"This spell is called the Disillusionment Charm." said Flitwick. "Though not as effective as a fully functioning Invisibility Cloak, the spell is effective in battle and in making sure Muggles do not see you. It makes you camouflage into your surroundings, rather like a chameleon."

Malfoy took a lot of interest in this lesson and was very eager to learn the new charm.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Rosier.

"I am." sneered Malfoy. "Prince and his little Union won't know what hit them!"

Halloween came and the students were all prepared to visit Hogsmeade, bringing their permission slips to verify to McGonagall and Zeus Gardner the caretaker that they were allowed to go.

Gardner led the third years down into the village. All of the Union went together, with the exceptions of Frank, Alice, Ned and Andromeda, as they had prefect duties, or in the latter pairs' case, Head Boy and Girl duties. Alice had been made a prefect this year. Regulus and Melody, of course, were also absent as they were not of age to visit the village.

They all agreed to meet at the Three Broomsticks at three o clock, which gave them three hours to tour the shops and attractions. Severus and Lily found that not even Quincey and Mary planned to stay with them, and claimed they were going to join Peter in spying on the double dates.

"Honestly!" chuckled Lily. "Mary's got no respect for privacy!"

Severus agreed.

"Let's visit the shops, then go to see your mother at two o clock!" suggested Lily.

"Okay!"

The two friends went everywhere that afternoon. First, they visited the Ceridwen's Cauldrons shop, where Severus looked longingly at one of the gold cauldrons, but didn't have enough pocket money to purchase it. Next, they went to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, where they bought a new quill each. The third shop was Tomes and Scrolls, the bookshop, which both friends particularly enjoyed visiting for the first time. They were some books that looked older than the ones sold at Flourish and Blotts, but as a result, came out more expensive. Fortunately, they each bought a new book, either on Experimental Potions, or on Charms, which dated back to the Tudor Ages. They also had a look around in the Gladrags Wizardwear shop, as well as J. Pippins Potions. No purchases were made there, nor in the sixth shop, the Herbology store, Dogweed and Deathcap. The seventh store was a much more different matter. That shop was none other the Honeydukes sweet shop.

Just about every student from third year was there and Professor McGonagall and the prefects were trying and failing to keep them in order.

"Never known McGonagall to have such trouble!" called Lily over the noise.

"You're telling me!" called back Severus.

They also saw Nora and Elizabeth there in the crowds and pushed their way over to them.

"You just missed Remus and Peter." said Elizabeth. "They've gone to check out Zonko's."

"We're avoiding that until next time." said Lily. "I hope those two don't give James and Sirius any ideas."

"What a joke!" laughed Nora. "They're bound to buy every joke and trick in sight!"

"Weren't Quincey and Mary with them?" asked Severus.

"No, haven't seen them yet." replied Nora.

"That's odd." said Lily. "I thought they were joining Peter to spy on the dates."

"Maybe they've already done it and split up." said Severus.

"I guess…you know, it might be fun to take a peek at James and Sirius. And I wanna see Marlene's face turn all gooey and stupid if Sirius kisses her. Rebecca's just as bad around James!"

Severus did suddenly find the idea appealing. To see James and Sirius look smitten and spacey would be comical and relieving to see the former look that way around someone other than Lily.

"Let's check them out after we buy our sweets." he concurred.

They soon stocked up with Chocolate Frogs, Licorice Wands and many other new sweets that they hadn't seen on the Hogwarts Express trolley. But due to the crowding students also trying to make a purchase, it took them half an hour, and they only had another twenty minutes to look in at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, before heading over to the Hog's Head to meet Severus' mother.

"Let's get it over with!" said Severus, now in a rush.

"We have time, don't worry!" called Lily. "We're only peeking through the window for a minute!"

They soon arrived and peered through the glass window. The sight was cringingly amazing. The tea shop was pure pink and all the tables were as well. It was like a candy land for romantics.

"I bet the tea has far too much sugar." said Lily.

"Can you see them?" asked Severus.

"Yeah, there they are, in the corner by the left window." said Lily.

On a double table were James and Rebecca, facing away from the window that the two spectators were occupying, and Sirius and Marlene facing in their direction. As anticipated, the two of them had silly, smitten expressions on their faces, clearly enjoying the other's company.

"Ha! Look at them!" chuckled Severus.

"Oh, my Merlin!" cried Lily.

"It's not that shocking!" said Severus.

"Not that, but _that_ is!"

She was pointing to the right-hand side of the shop, and Severus gasped at what he saw.

On a table close to the counter, and out of view of the double dating foursome, were Quincey and Mary, and they were clearly sharing a date of their own, considering how they were holding hands and looking as lovestruck as Sirius and Marlene.

"Woah! No way!" whispered Severus.

"Quincey and Mary!" squeaked Lily.

"I know!" said Severus in awe.

"QUINCEY AND MARY!" she squealed, hopping up and down with joy.

"Shh, they'll hear you! Come on!"

Severus pulled Lily away from the window and the two friends laughed heartily about their two best friends dating each other.

"So romantic!" said Lily dreamily, as they made their way to the Hog's Head.

"That explains their distance around us." said Severus.

"Not to mention Mary's hints at being experienced in kissing and dating." added Lily.

"They've kissed?!"

"Haha! I know! This is brilliant!"

"Calm down or Ab- er, the bar owner will kick us out." said Severus.

Lily breathed deeply to emphasise her calmness and they both entered the grim Hog's Head.

"Not exactly a very welcoming place." remarked Lily.

"Why do you think we're meeting the others at the Three Broomsticks?" said Severus.

"Fair point." conceded Lily.

"Severus!"

Eileen waved her son over from behind the counter.

"Mum!"

Severus embraced his mother happily, while Robin came back from delivering two beers to two shady looking punters.

"Hello, Severus." he said cheerfully. "And you too, young Lily!"

"Hi, Mr Kennedy." greeted Lily.

"How's Hogsmeade then?" asked Eileen as she prepared two Butterbeers for the two teenagers.

"Great!" said Lily.

They both told them of their day out in Hogsmeade so far and what they planned to do afterwards.

"Don't indulge yourself too much at the Three Broomsticks." said Eileen maternally. "You still have the Halloween Feast at Hogwarts."

"How could I forget?" grinned Lily.

Severus shook his head with a smile.

They also told Eileen and Robin what they had seen in the tea shop.

"Ooh, love in the air, eh?" said Robin.

"By the look of it!" said Lily. "I'm not letting Mary hear the end of this, after all that teasing she did to me at the start of term onwards!"

Just then, the Floo sounded and out of the fire came Rose Evans, accompanied by Septimus Prince.

"Hello, honey!" said Rose.

"Mum!" Lily embraced her mother. "I didn't know you were coming too!"

"Yeah, only briefly though." said Rose. "Septimus was kind enough to bring me for half an hour to share a drink with Eileen and to see you! She explained what time you two would come here."

Lily was delighted, and they spent the remaining half hour chatting with their mothers, as well as Robin and Septimus about the day as well as their education. They were all glad to hear that Severus was adjusting again, and there were several remarks on how his remaining pockmarks had finally faded away.

Eventually, it was three o clock and Lily and Severus realized they were late to meet the rest of the Union.

"We'll see you two at Christmas!" said Rose, giving her daughter a final hug, and Eileen did the same for Severus.

Robin and Septimus gave him a compassionate pat on the shoulder.

"Give my love to Nanny." said Severus.

"I will, lad." said Septimus.

The two friends waved goodbye once more and sprinted up to the Three Broomsticks.

Upon arrival, they found the majority of the Union sat on one of the larger tables, looking quite at ease, whereas in the past, Severus had been used to keeping close to the walls where the smaller, less noticeable tables were, so as to avoid people like the Marauders.

He and Lily joined them, Lily next to Remus, and Severus next to Quincey.

"So, how's Hogsmeade so far?" asked James.

"Great!" came the united reply.

"Honeydukes is Heaven!" said Peter.

"And this Butterbeer is so succulent!" said Mary dreamily.

"Though Madam Puddifoot's is so…uh…pink?" added James. "Ow!"

"I thought it was lovely!" retorted Rebecca, having kicked James in the shin from under the table.

Sirius laughed.

"It was good, but they put sugar in everything! I bet the pink wallpaper tastes like Honeydukes' Candy Floss!"

Everyone, even Marlene and Rebecca laughed at that. Quincey and Mary kept wisely silent on the subject of Madam Puddifoot's. Though Severus and Lily winked knowingly at each other.

The rest of the afternoon entailed talking about the day's events for each Union member, and drinking Butterbeer, already planning what to do on their next visit, and drinking more Butterbeer.

Eventually, it was time for curfew and the students went back up to Hogwarts, keen to begin the Halloween Feast.

Arriving at the Great Hall, they saw the pumpkins, lit and suspended in the air, reflecting their eerily carved faces in circles across the Hall, giving a spooky light show, which granted a partying effect to the minds of the children. Severus and Lily joined their friends at the Gryffindor table. The prefects, Regulus and Melody joined them this time, much to the perturbance and abhorrence of the Slytherins, looking at Regulus as a blood traitor, and Melody as the filthy animal who corrupted him.

Malfoy was beginning the process of putting his latest scheme into action.

"What if we get caught?" asked Mulciber.

"Provided you paid attention when I taught you the spell, it won't be a problem!" snapped Malfoy.

Dinner was exquisite. The desserts, centred around candy and pumpkin pies and pasties, were the highlight and all the students were fairly pumped up with sugar.

"Always the same on this day." said Dumbledore to McGonagall.

"The annual sugar rush, Pomona and I call it." replied McGonagall.

Dumbledore was smiling at Severus, whom was also having a good time. He was glad that the boy was moving on in his new life so well, fitting in with friends, enjoying the holiday events and having a more enjoyable life than before.

But he had thought too soon.

That evening, after the feast had been long over, the Union headed to their respective dormitories, and as their habit was, due to the long circle of conversation for such a large group, they left last.

Most of the students headed up to bed, while the Slytherins, Andromeda, Regulus and Melody headed downward.

Severus and Lily lingered in the Entrance Hall. Both friends looked very cheerful. They had had such a good day together.

"Mary's loved up face was so funny." she recalled.

"No worse than Quincey and Sirius." chuckled Severus.

"You two coming or not?" called a voice.

It was James. He and Remus were on the top of the first staircase, waiting for them to catch up.

"Why don't you-?"

Before Severus could tease James to go and chase Rebecca's proverbial skirt, they heard a scream coming from the dungeons.

"What was that?!" cried Lily and James in unison.

James, followed reluctantly by Remus, rushed down the stairs.

"That sounded like Melody!" gasped Lily.

All four friends rushed to see what was going on.

What they saw shocked them. Andromeda was on the ground bleeding from her wrists, and Regulus was frantically looking around the Hall, wand raised, trying to shield a frightened Melody.

"What's-?"

"Stupefy!" whispered a voice in a put-on deep voice. It was unrecognised.

The Stunner aimed at Severus, whom dived aside, but the spell ricocheted and hit Melody in the back.

"NO!"

Then another spell hit Regulus and he hunched in pain. It was the hex that felt like ten punches to the gut.

"REGGIE!"

Sirius rushed to the scene, only to get blasted with a Petrificus Totalis spell, then James dived to avoid what was certainly a Dark Arts curse.

"WHERE IS THIS COMING FROM?!" cried James.

Severus knew that the Slytherins must be Disillusioned and looked around frantically. He saw a blurring movement behind a pillar.

"STUPEFY!"

The spell hit its target, and Avery fell to the ground, but remained unable to be identified.

Malfoy knew this could get them all exposed, so he shot a very powerful Stunner at Severus.

"LOOK OUT!"

Remus shoved Severus aside and took the shot, but the spell was so strong, that Remus was blasted off his feet and hit his head on the wall, and he crumpled to the floor, blood quickly beginning to ooze out of his head.

"REMUS!" cried Lily, Severus and James in unison.

The screams must have attracted attention, because footsteps were headed towards the dungeons. Malfoy heard them and quickly gathered Avery and ordered his minions, Mulciber and Rosier to retreat.

They did so just in time, as Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Murdoch came rushing to the scene. From the opposite direction came Professor Slughorn, who in his haste to attend the summons of the screaming and blasting had not noticed the Disillusioned students slip past him.

All four professors were horrified. Three students were Stunned, three were holding their wands out of breath and pale with horror, one student was bleeding from the head, unconscious and unresponsive and the Head Girl was feebly stirring with her wrists slit open.

"What the devil?!" cried Slughorn, immediately tending to Andromeda, while McGonagall and Murdoch tended to Remus. Dumbledore stared at Severus as he effortlessly woke Sirius, Regulus and Melody.

"Who did this?" he asked with his usual calm voice, though his eyes had no passion at all.

"We don't know." said Severus numbly. "But I can guess who."

"Guessing won't hold well, Mr Prince." said Dumbledore sadly. "Did anyone else see the attackers?"

Regulus and Melody shook their heads as all eyes turned to them.

"We were heading to the common room with Cousin Andromeda. But then a spell hit her, and she immediately fell down with her wrists…"

"There, there, child." said McGonagall soothingly. "Horace, Albus, I think these two need to see Poppy. Mr Lupin won't wake up and his pulse is weak."

"Same for Miss Black." said Slughorn gravely. "She's just lost consciousness. I've stitched her wrists up, but Madam Pomfrey can help her better than I."

Remus and Andromeda were taken away.

"So, your attackers were invisible?" asked Dumbledore to the remaining students in his office twenty minutes later.

"Yes, sir." said the group in numbed unison.

"Likely a Disillusionment Charm." said McGonagall.

"Yes, but as no-one was seen, we cannot identify or indeed point fingers at anyone. It would be seen as prejudice and Mr Prince's suspect; Mr Malfoy's father is a governor. It won't help to make him take Veritaserum when we have no proof. Besides, the use of the potion is forbidden on a student."

McGonagall sighed, knowing Dumbledore was right.

"So…those…evil…they're gonna go unpunished?!" cried Lily.

"But what about Andie?" cried Regulus.

"And Remus?!" fumed Sirius.

"I'm sorry, children, but unless we find proof, there is nothing we can do." said Dumbledore, showing genuine disdain at his own words.

Severus shook his head slightly. It was similar to how he got no justice for the original Sirius' attempt to kill or curse him all those years ago, but now Andromeda and Remus were suffering the injustice, and possibly worse if Madam Pomfrey didn't act fast enough.

"You may see your friends in the morning." said Dumbledore in conclusion. "Minerva, please escort them to bed."

McGonagall did so. Melody and Regulus were downright frightened, James and Sirius were seething with fury and Lily was pale and full of despair.

"Poor Remus." she whispered.

"And poor Andromeda." added Sirius.

"If we had only managed to finish…"

James was going to say 'finish the Map' but remembered that McGonagall was with them and stopped himself.

"Finish off invisible opponents?" asked the Deputy Head coldly. "Mr Potter, even if you had, you'd have been in as much trouble as them."

"But they're not in trouble." whimpered Melody. "And I'm expected to go back in that common room with them! I won't! They'll kill us!"

She fell to the floor, hyperventilating. She was sure that without Andromeda there to protect them, she would be badly hurt if not killed by Malfoy and his cronies.

McGonagall turned to see that Melody was having a panic attack.

"Come on, child. Let's get you to the hospital wing too. Mr Black, I think it would be best if you come too. It's likely safer for you there than in your dormitory. The rest of you, to your own dorms immediately. Don't make me regret leaving you!"

She escorted the second years away.

The other students obeyed without question, still in shock themselves and determined to get to their beds, though were unsure if they were going to get any sleep.

"I don't want you to go alone." whispered Lily. "I…I don't want to leave you at all."

"I'll be okay, Lils." promised Severus.

They hugged tight.

"I'll see you at breakfast, then we can go and see Remus and Andromeda." he said.

"Okay…"

The two best friends parted ways, and Severus hoped he could try and sleep before Quincey and the other Ravenclaws started asking questions about his absence.

And to think that the day had gone so well an hour ago, he thought dismally.

The following morning, as promised, Severus joined Lily for breakfast, though none of the Union were in the mood to eat. By now, they all knew what had happened. In fact, it was the talk of the school.

Malfoy and his cronies tried not to look quite as triumphant and smug as the rest of the Slytherins did at the thought of a blood traitor and a Gryffindor getting badly hurt.

Sirius was rageful at them. He and the rest of the Union were certain that Malfoy's group were responsible, but without proof, no legal action could be taken.

It was all that the entire Union could do to stop Sirius from marching over and confronting Malfoy, wands and fists a blazing.

After breakfast, McGonagall and Dumbledore himself escorted the immediate victims of the attack to the Hospital Wing. The rest of the Union had to visit their friends in their own time as there were too many of them to come in at once, due to Pomfrey's strict limitations.

There, in the Hospital Wing, were Regulus and Melody sitting around Andromeda's bed. She was awake, but distinctively pale and clearly struggling to sit up properly. Pomfrey had mended her wrists thoroughly and gave her some Blood Replenishing Potions, but the effects and the trauma she had gone through had terribly exhausted her.

"Are you alright?" asked Lily worriedly.

"Fine, just woozy and tired." replied Andromeda. "Madam Pomfrey says I can leave in a couple of days."

"What about Remus?" asked Severus, looking at the bed carrying the still unconscious Gryffindor, his head bandaged into a small turban.

"He's going to live." said Madam Pomfrey, to both Severus and the two Heads. "But his memory will almost certainly be affected by the impact."

Severus gasped. That would be horrible. If he forgot that he was a werewolf, Remus would have to suffer the realization of what he was all over again.

Remus suddenly moved as they watched over him, and he stirred.

"Remus, can you hear me?" asked Madam Pomfrey.

Remus whimpered and looked around. He saw the mediwitch, the two Heads and Severus, James and Sirius looking at him. Lily, Andromeda, Regulus and Melody were not visible from the bed opposite.

He gazed at them, and his gaze lingered on the closest smaller person: Severus.

He growled.

Everyone looked confused.

"Remus Lupin?" said Pomfrey.

Before anyone could do anything, Remus sprang from his bed, leapt at Severus and clawed his face with his right hand.

"OW!" cried Severus.

Remus was roaring like an animal and was baring his teeth wildly, as if he wanted to take a bite out of Severus' scratched and bleeding face.

"RESTRAIN HIM!" cried Dumbledore, using his wand to wrap Remus in ropes and tugged him back to the bed.

The third year writhed and roared in fury and frustration. His eyes were malicious yet dazed, with the air of a confused subject of hypnosis.

"Everybody out!" ordered McGonagall to the visitors.

"You too, Mr Black, Miss Royale!" added Pomfrey.

The terrified students did so, and in the heat of the moment, Dumbledore anonymously Stunned Andromeda.

As everybody waited outside, Lily cried.

"What happened?!" she shrieked.

"Lupin's gone mad!" cried Regulus.

Melody cried on his shoulder.

Severus, James and Sirius looked at each other with horrified and contemplating expressions. They had all realized what had happened.

Remus' human memories were gone…and his werewolf instincts remained.

Remus was now a feral child.

 **(There's Chapter 35, in time for Halloween! I hope you like it! Chapter 36 coming soon! Hope you forgive me putting a damper on things at the end! Please review!)**


	36. Chapter 36: The Success of All Unity

**Chapter 36: The Success of All Unity**

The aftermath of the Halloween dungeon attack had taken a terrible toll upon not just the House Union, but all the students and staff. Andromeda's injuries were so close to becoming a murder case, and the fact that she was Head Girl had spread an immense amount of fear across the student body. On top of that, rumours of Remus' condition had spread across the school; everything from his being driven insane by the Cruciatus Curse, to becoming a wild animal irreversibly.

Severus, James and Sirius were the most inconsolable to see what had happened to their friend. Pomfrey had confirmed their suspicion that Remus' memories and instincts as a werewolf were clouding over his humanity and thoughts. She said he may or may not recover and he was unable to go to St Mungo's, otherwise he would be found out as a werewolf, expelled and possibly euthanised if the Healers discovered his close shave with his three friends two years ago.

Dumbledore and Pomfrey kept Remus in his own bed, sadly kept restrained in ropes upon the bed. He was spoon-fed by Pomfrey, with the greatest of difficulty. When he was due to transform, they fed him the Wolfsbane Potion too, though this sparked the boy's greatest resistance of all, as if the creature within knew what it was and tried to defy it.

"Perhaps the trauma of the transformation will revert his memory back." said Pomfrey hopefully.

"We mustn't count our roosters." said Dumbledore. "We can merely hope for the best."

Severus, James and Sirius were the boy's only visitors permitted as they knew of his condition. Unfortunately, Remus' outburst was noticed by Lily, Andromeda, Regulus and Melody. To make matters worse, Regulus was even more suspicious than ever and was condemning Remus for his attack on Severus, whose face had bled from the clawing, but was not infectious and only left him with a need for a quick healing spell.

Severus asked Regulus not to make a fuss on the matter, but the younger Black was determined to get some answers for Remus' condition, and not for the Gryffindor's sake, but his own.

"If he's a danger to us here, then he shouldn't be welcome in the Union." he said coldly to Melody. "What if that had been you that he attacked?"

"B-but it's Malfoy's fault that Remus is in that condition, Reggie." said his friend timidly. "Please don't blame him."

Regulus didn't trust Remus, and he was still planning to work out what his problem was, but he relented his rage for the time being for Melody's sake.

Lily and the rest of the Union were deeply concerned. Andromeda came out of the Hospital Wing a few days after the Halloween incident, fully recovered but still mentally traumatised from the experience.

"How are you?" asked Lily.

"Are your wrists okay?" added Mary.

"I'm okay, mostly." said the Head Girl with low spirit. "But I'm still shocked at how they had the audacity to strike me…and so lethally. Not to mention the state Remus is in…"

"How is he?" asked Peter.

"Not good. But I haven't seen much of him." said Andromeda truthfully. "Pomfrey has shut him off from the other beds, and I can only hear her murmuring and him sort of growling and snarling. I don't understand what's wrong with him."

Severus and his two comrades hung their heads low. They knew and were frightened that Remus would never recover. After all, thought Severus, as far as he knew, Gilderoy Lockhart never fully recovered from his memory loss since the incident in the Chamber of Secrets.

"I hope Remus is up and about again soon." said Lily mournfully.

That was the same sort of thought that was passing through Pomfrey's mind still when the night of the full moon came. She had levitated Remus into the Shrieking Shack early and laid him on the bed softly. Remus was still struggling for freedom and showing no signs of humanity.

"Get better, Mr Lupin." she said softly as she set off back out of the tunnel in plenty of time before the transformation began.

Remus did transform, and he was relatively tame, as the Potion dictated, but he was still wolfish. He acted more like a tame dog. He brushed his fur with his hind paws, sniffed around and whined when he couldn't find so much as a rat to eat.

He was getting thinner in human form due to his resistance to his meals and the constant struggling he put himself through to get at his Healer and peers.

The werewolf was too weak to act murderous as a result anyway.

He curled up on the bed once more and rested after giving up his hunt for food.

The next morning, Madam Pomfrey, aided by Professor Murdoch, also made aware of Remus' condition and trusted by Dumbledore, came to collect him, both hopeful that the young man had recovered his memory.

They were strongly disappointed, as upon sight, Remus made to strike at them, but was so worn out from his transformations, that he collapsed in exhaustion before he could do so much as run into Murdoch's Shield Charm.

"Oh, no…he's still feral!" moaned Madam Pomfrey.

"Well, it can't be helped." said Murdoch grimly. "Let's get him back to the Hospital Wing."

The two members of staff did so, before classes started and once again restrained Remus in his bed. Pomfrey then promptly tried to feed Remus some breakfast, and much to her elation, Remus showed no hesitation to accept the food.

"Maybe we're getting somewhere after all." she said in relief.

"Still a way to go, I daresay though." said Murdoch. "The lad's bound to be hungry at this point after all he's been through."

November dwindled by, and still no changes had occurred in terms of healing for Remus, and Severus was getting more and more worried. The swelling had gone down, and the brain was healing, but Remus remained as feral and uncontrollable as ever, except for his newfound acceptance of being fed by Pomfrey without any fuss or repercussions.

Severus' concern was getting stronger and he only had the Union to talk about it, and that was heavily limited as they didn't know what to make of the whole issue. Only James and Sirius could discuss the matter with him in full detail and they had no clue how to handle the matter either. None of them were Healers. Even many of the potions Severus had brewed in his lifetimes wouldn't make a difference at this juncture. It was a very specific and unique case. Even Dumbledore was baffled by the experience and nature of Remus' condition.

One evening, after visiting Remus in the Hospital Wing, Severus was more despondent than ever. Remus showed no signs of recognition at all, and it had been nearly a whole month. Severus was frightened that his friend would never recover.

"This is not what I wanted for him in this life…Marauder or not." he said quietly to himself.

Then he stopped and considered.

Then he made his way up to Dumbledore's office. It took a few guesses, but he finally guessed the password correctly: "Strawberry liquorice."

Severus knocked at the office door and obeyed the invitation to come in.

"Mr Prince? What is it?" said Dumbledore, though there was a knowing twinkle in his eyes.

"I want to see Lily early, sir. I just want someone to talk to fully without hiding anything," he said quietly.

"Very well."

Dumbledore placed the Resurrection Stone on the desk before Severus.

"I will be in the usual place."

Dumbledore then went up to his quarters and Severus, knowing the routine, summoned Lily back from the dead.

But Lily wasn't alone.

Helena Ravenclaw and Ariana Dumbledore were there too.

"Hi, Sev!"

"Hey, Lily. Helena. Ariana."

"You look unwell," said Ariana politely.

"Do I?"

"Something happened, hasn't it?" Helena was looking between Lily and Severus as she said this.

"Yeah, Sev's friend, Remus has gone feral."

Lily was the only one who had looked in on Severus' personal life during the search for the Horcruxes, as well as Harry's life in the original universe. She briefly smiled at the thought of how Harry was currently showing his eldest son how to play Quidditch.

Lily then continued and explained about Remus' condition to them both.

"A former Slytherin who's friends with an alternate version of a creature who nearly killed him. Will wonders never cease?" said Helena.

"He's not a creature!" retorted Severus and Lily in unison.

"Sorry."

"Any news on the Horcruxes?" asked Severus.

"No." came all three replies.

"I should have known. I am early after all. I just…wanted to let out all the secrets and fears to _someone_."

"I understand, Sev." said Lily kindly.

He smiled in relief.

"I think Remus will just need time. I spoke to my version of him while dining with him and Tonks with James." She looked apologetic speaking of her time with James but Severus wasn't thinking about that.

"Lupin's dead? And his wife?"

"Yes…during the Battle, just before you died."

"Who killed them?"

"Bellatrix killed Tonks, and Dolohov killed Remus."

Severus groaned. He had hoped that Narcissa and Andromeda had reconciled after Voldemort fell, but this would be next to impossible now. With Narcissa siding with the sister who killed her only child, Andromeda was bound to be embittered to the end towards her.

Lily continued.

"Remus says that the case is unique and likely can only be repaired by time. He isn't sure if your Remus will ever recover, but his best advice for you is to give him time and stay by his side; to not give up."

"Just as the Marauders didn't give up on him," murmured Severus thoughtfully.

"Exactly!"

"Thanks, Lils. Give…Lupin my thanks too…and my condolences."

Lily smiled. "I shall."

They spent the next half-hour catching up, and Helena spoke of how she and the Bloody Baron were happily living together, and on happy terms with her mother, whom somehow regained the diadem after its destruction. Ariana spoke of how she was on good terms with her family too, and she, Lily, Ariana and Tonks were very good friends.

"I'm also hoping that Alice will be alright when her time comes," said Lily concernedly.

"What do you mean?" asked Severus.

"She and Frank are deteriorating at St Mungo's," explained Lily, "and they haven't got much longer. I'm scared that their minds are beyond repair, even here. They'll be so traumatised at losing their lives so long ago…"

"They'll be fine."

"What makes you so sure?" asked Lily.

"Because if Heaven can heal physical and emotional wounds like mine, and cleanse Harry of the corruption of Voldemort and…improve your ability to forgive, I'm sure that it can heal their sanity. They may be heartbroken that they didn't have a full life, but you're coping well enough."

"And I guess Tonks is dealing with it as well as she can," pondered Lily.

"Tonks?"

"Oh, yeah, you wouldn't know, but a few days before the Battle, Tonks and Remus had a baby boy, Teddy Remus Lupin."

"He's orphaned?" asked Severus with a mournful tone.

"Yes…Tonks was meant to stay with him, but she couldn't bear the idea of Remus alone in the Battle. They died together."

Severus sighed.

Lily was surprised at how saddened he looked about his enemy's death and his son's fate as an orphan.

"He's being raised by his grandmother, Andromeda, and by Harry, his godfather."

"Pott- Harry's a godfather too?"

"Yep, and I'm so proud of him. He's like a second father to Teddy. He's in his third year now, just like you. He's in Hufflepuff, like his mother, doesn't have lycanthropy and despite not having parents, has got a generally happy life so far. I think that's what helps Tonks and Remus cope at times. He's had a much better upbringing than Harry had."

All three friends looked to Lily sympathetically as she said this. It was very difficult for her to watch Harry live life so badly until Voldemort's death.

"Anyway, I'm glad you came to see me, Sev. Do you still want to meet again at the original time or shall we leave it until February?"

"Hm, as much I'd prefer to see you earlier, perhaps seeing you in February over school time may be an easier option than over the holidays," said Severus logically.

"Alright then!" agreed Lily.

"With luck, something will have changed by then too," said Helena.

"For Remus Lupin, and for the Horcrux search," added Ariana.

"Okay, I'll see you all again soon then, I hope."

"You will, Sev," promised Lily.

Severus smiled at them all, all his friends in Heaven. He could never get over the fact that he had friends in the Union from across the realm of Heaven, beyond life itself.

And on that note, he released the Stone onto the desk and his friends vanished once more.

In the Slytherin common room, Narcissa was looking between Andromeda, whom was still pale, as well as afraid among her peers and she was keeping close to a paranoid Melody and a wary Regulus, and her own boyfriend, Lucius.

She didn't want to believe it of him, but Lucius did say that he would get even with the Slytherin blood traitors, but she had implored him not to take it out on Andromeda too severely. He promised her that he wouldn't but then not long after, Andromeda turned up in the Hospital Wing with slit wrists and heavy blood loss, close to death if not for the Hogwarts staff's swift actions.

Malfoy made out that he had an alibi for the attacks, with Narcissa in the common room, but nobody saw him with her, least of all Narcissa herself, but the Slytherins, partly in loyalty to their prefect and partly out of fear of him due to his rumoured connections to the Dark Lord, kept with his side of the story.

Narcissa was upset and conflicted. If Lucius lied by using her as an alibi, uncaring of what could happen to her for aiding and abetting him should he be exposed, then he must have been involved in Andromeda's assault…but was it really his doing that she nearly died?

"Lucius…was it you?"

"Was it me what?"

"You know full well what I mean, Lucius Malfoy!" snapped Narcissa impatiently. "Was it you who slit Andromeda's wrists?"

Lucius looked puzzled.

"No, that was Rosier. I warned him to go easy for your sake, but he didn't listen and went in for the kill while I focused my attacks on Royale before those Union chums of theirs showed up."

He sounded quite unconcerned, which made Narcissa fill with indignation and rage.

"When you saw what Rosier had done…why didn't you stop the attack and get help for my sister?"

Lucius looked more confused than ever.

"Because she is a blood traitor, Narcissa! Whether or not Rosier went too far, she had it coming to her."

"SHE'S MY SISTER!" cried Narcissa, appalled at how uncaring her boyfriend sounded. "YOU PROMISED!"

"I promised to be lenient to her, yes…" whispered Malfoy, hoping the Union members didn't hear the topic of conversation, "…but like I said, she would _have_ to be punished until she was able to see sense and plead with you, myself and the Dark Lord for forgiveness. It's her own fault for defending that Mudblood and her blood traitor friend."

"My cousin!" fumed Narcissa.

"Your family is corrupt, Narcissa! You can't want this, that's why you're with me!"

"I'm with you cos I fell in love…but…you, without my permission, threw me under the Knight Bus to provide yourself with an alibi! What if you were found out? I'd be expelled too for lying for you! You just expected me to lie for you and take your side, even though my sister and cousin were the targets of your attack!"

Malfoy frowned.

"I didn't hit her."

"But you didn't help her! Am I as expendable as her?"

"No! You're pure, you're worthy of my-"

Everyone knew instantly that this was the wrong thing to say. Narcissa exploded.

"WORTHY?! _WORTHY_?! HOW DARE YOU, LUCIUS MALFOY! HOW DARE YOU SAY I'M WORTHY OF YOUR LOVE AND AFFECTION?! LIKE A FRIGGING ORNAMENT?! LIKE AN OBJECT?! WE ARE THROUGH, LUCIUS! DON'T SPEAK TO ME AGAIN! YOU HEAR ME?!"

Narcissa stomped off to her dormitory, leaving Malfoy stunned, as well as the rest of the Slytherins. Andromeda rose.

"Regulus, Melody, you come too, but only so far as the door. They'll think we all went in together. Knock three times if someone comes, then I'll let you in."

The two second years nodded in understanding and waited outside the dormitory as Andromeda went to see her sister.

She found Narcissa curled up in bed in tears of despair and betrayal.

"Cissy…"

Andromeda went to rub her back comfortingly, but no sooner had she made contact that Narcissa flipped over and pulled her into a tight hug, sobbing into her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Andie," she choked.

"Shh, it's alright."

"No, it's not! I could have lost you and all because I was so concerned about blood purity, and yet Lucius saw no problem in watching a Pure blood, such as his girlfriend's sister, bleed to death. And why? Cos he worships that Dark Lord, whom seems to have no qualm in destroying that what he claims to try and protect and increase in numbers. He doesn't care if he and his Death Eaters kill Pure Bloods, if they don't do what he wants. He'll kill anybody…as long as it's in _his_ interests."

"That's why I sided with the Union and against You Know Who, Cissy," said Andromeda sadly, "because he doesn't care who he hurts. He'd kill even his Death Eaters if they failed him, including you and Malfoy. And Malfoy is so blinded by his desire to sit at You Know Who's right hand, that he thinks that someone he desired was no more special than a wand, an object, like you said. I'm so glad you've worked it all out now."

"But…I no longer have Lucius. I don't even know what to believe in anymore…I mean, I still believe wizard blood is pure and best…but those who also stand by that are…evil. I have nothing now…what am I supposed to do?"

Andromeda prayed that Narcissa would accept this.

"Join us in the Union."

"What?!"

"I know you believe in blood purity. But so does Reggie to an extent. He's best friends with a Muggle-born, and although Muggle-borns are impure to you, they are not the ones who attacked me, or made that poor boy in the Hospital Wing go mad. And think of how trying to keep blood pure has made some people. They're mentally disabled because the blood in them is so close and so mingled with familial traits. We marry our cousins and into our own families that we're suffering the mental effects, just as Muggles do. Without Muggle-borns and Half-Bloods, we'd have died out, because there are so few of us. Even if You Know Who won and wiped Muggles off the map, we will go extinct in the end anyway. Please, Cissy, join us and try and accept Muggle-borns and Half-bloods."

Narcissa was so conflicted. She understood Andromeda's argument, but she also couldn't stand the idea of turning against everything she believed in, and against her family and friends, as Andromeda and her cousins had done. She was afraid. Andromeda knew what was passing in her mind and spoke softly.

"I promise…if things go bad for you for this choice, I vow on my magic and life that I will look after you. I'll never abandon you."

Narcissa said no more. She was so relieved to know that her sister forgave her and promised to stand by her, that she broke down into tears once more and let her sister comfort her.

The following morning, the Union were very surprised to see Andromeda introduce them to a new member: Narcissa Black.

"What made you…?" began James.

Narcissa still couldn't bring herself to talk, especially to those she still thought lower than her, so Andromeda filled the group in.

"HA!" laughed Sirius. "Unity has won out against those Death Eaters! SUCK ON THAT, MALFOY!"

"Siri!" snapped Andromeda. "Don't bring more attention or conflict into this so soon!"

But Malfoy heard Sirius and saw that Andromeda was bringing his now ex-girlfriend to join with the Union. He saw red at once but knew he could not cause a scene. He was already under suspicion for the attack on Halloween, and although Narcissa could not expose his lies without getting punished herself, nor do so without becoming a target of the Death Eaters, he had to be careful.

"I will get even with that bloody Union for this! They've lost me my girl and corrupted her."

"She was easy to manipulate clearly, Lucius," said Rosier.

"Yeah, you're better off without that trollop!" added Mulciber.

"Perhaps you're right…" murmured Malfoy, "…but she will be punished like the rest, and as she no longer is attached to me, I see no reason to show any mercy in future."

The Union didn't hear these words, but they, particularly Severus, Andromeda and Narcissa, could easily guess what was being said, and they also knew they had to be more vigilant.

"At least the twit will be leaving at the end of this year," said Lily.

"Or sooner if we can get him expelled for what he did to Andie and Remus," added Sirius hopefully.

"Don't rely on it," said Andromeda, "Cissy can't say anything without getting punished too, and if she did, Malfoy will make her a personal target for the Death Eaters."

Everyone sighed. Now that Narcissa was more or less on their side and on good terms with her sister again, they didn't want her hurt or expelled. If she were expelled or even suspended from Hogwarts for a brief time, Malfoy would take advantage and exact revenge on her instantly.

They all agreed to keep quiet for her sake.

This warmed the cockles of her heart a tad, and although there was a long way to go before she could fully accept Andromeda's beliefs in magic and blood status, she felt that perhaps she could find some solace and sanctuary with this Union after all.

 **And here's Chapter 36! Might not update until Christmas with an update based on it, but we shall see. Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than the last. Hope you enjoy this update and like where it's all going. Chapter 37 coming soon! Please review, thank you!**


	37. Chapter 37: The Afterlife Neighbourhood

**Chapter 37: The Afterlife Neighbourhood**

Severus and Lily continued to visit Remus every day in his absence from classes and were growing increasingly worried. If he carried on like this, he would never regain his memory and also have to miss out on his Hogwarts education. Severus prayed to the Higher Ones each day that his friend would not turn out like Frank and Alice, only trapped permanently in the mind of a werewolf all day, every day.

"I never expected such thoughts to spread around in Severus Snape's mind," said Remus Lupin from Heaven, as he and his friends, Lily and James, and his wife, Nymphadora Tonks Lupin looked down on his new life.

"Told you he had changed for the better in this new world," said Lily proudly.

"Don't get carried away, Lily," said James. "He's better cos he's got something to be happy about. He still hates Remus, Sirius and I up here."

"Maybe, but can we blame him?" asked Lily. "Besides, he has his whole life to let his new joys in life fill and mend those wounds that 'ran too deep for the healing' and then by the time he returns here, he _might_ be able to reconcile with the Marauders."

"Just don't rely on it, is all I'm saying," said James doubtfully.

They all watched as Severus enjoyed some time with Lily after leaving Remus at his bedside. They had some tea at Hagrid's with Mary and Quincey, had a pleasant dinner with the Union and went to bed after playing tag team Wizard's Chess with Nora and Elizabeth, with Quincey as his partner.

"He may seem happier, but you can tell how worried he is about the future," said Tonks sympathetically.

"What has Snivellus got to be worried about?"

Sirius had just come in with Marlene Black, formerly McKinnon, whom stomped on his foot for his cruel nickname.

" _Severus_ is worried that the Remus of that world won't get better, he's worried about asking that version of me out, he's worried that he'll lose the battle against Voldemort, and he's worried that he'll lose his friends and family along the way!" fumed Lily.

"Mellow out, Lily!" snapped Sirius. "He should be so lucky. He has had the luckiest escape any Death Eater has ever had!"

"HE HASN'T BEEN A DEATH EATER FOR A LONG TIME!"

"But the fact remains that he was!"

"Only because we all left him with nowhere else to go!" sobbed Lily, thinking of how if they had remained friends, Severus may have had something to resist the Death Eaters for.

James hugged her gently and frowned at Sirius.

"Could you not go one day without insulting Snape?" he asked. "Or rather, Severus Prince."

"Nope," said Sirius honestly.

"Why not? I let go of what you did to Severus and Remus, albeit sooner than I should have done, Lily let go of all he had done to us and Harry, I've let go of it too, Harry thinks of him as a hero and Lily also let go of the lies I told her! Why can't you let go of that grudge too?"

"One: Snape wouldn't let go of all those things we did to him and you know it, and two: he treated Harry, Neville and many other children like dirt, and all cos he couldn't have his beloved Lily, cos he turned her into a target against Voldemort. We haven't forgiven Wormtail, why the hell would I, or any of you, forgive that greasy tosser?"

"Because unlike Peter, Sev did the right thing in the end!" snapped Lily.

"Excuses, excuses. You just feel guilty cos you chose the right man, and Snivelly messed up your feelings cos you saw how he cried his pathetic eyes out over you, and you wanted to make it up to him, well, face facts, Lily! That was his own fault and you did nothing wrong! You just knew Prongs was the better man, and you made sure that waste of space knew it!"

Before Lily could smack Sirius, or before Marlene could drag him home for being such a prat, there was a shimmer in front of them.

They all looked and knew they were about to witness the death of someone that they knew.

The mirror showed Harry standing at a distance, and between two bedsides sat Neville Longbottom and his wife, Hannah, formerly Hannah Abbott. They were sitting at the sides of Neville's insane parents, Frank and Alice.

"They're dying…today," said Lily sadly.

"At least their suffering is ending," said Sirius, acting maturely for the first time that day.

"And they're dying together…that's so romantic," said Tonks softly.

Remus held her to his side.

Neville was sobbing and trembling, as Hannah caressed his shoulder affectionately, a few tears silently falling down her rosy cheeks at the tragic sight before her. Harry respectfully kept his distance and stood near the door, in case he was asked to leave.

Within another hour of watching through the shimmer between life and death, the Marauders and their wives witnessed the deaths of Frank and Alice Longbottom, dead five minutes between one another.

Neville was comforted as he cried, but also had a vacant look of someone who had been liberated from a heavy weight on his shoulders. His parents were finally at peace.

And they were.

Another hour or two later, the Longbottoms arrived in their own piece of Heaven, in Frank's parents' mansion, in their company: Augusta Longbottom and her husband, Wendell, the former having died not long after Neville's marriage to Hannah. Neville's Great-Uncle Algie was also there, looking proudly at them.

Augusta was over the moon to see her son and daughter-in-law again, fully healed upon arrival in Heaven.

"Oh, my boy! My darling boy, I am so sorry!" she cried, kissing his cheeks consistently.

"Mum…where's Neville? What happened to him? I remember nothing!"

"Where's my son?" cried Alice, almost instantly.

"He-"

"I'll explain from here, Mrs Longbottom."

The speaker was one of the Higher Ones, this one was wearing red robes, their visage hidden beneath the hood.

"Y-yes, sir," replied Augusta nervously and almost in worship.

Frank had never seen his mother act this way to anyone before and realized fully that this robed stranger was clearly of high importance, beyond even Dumbledore, for even he didn't make Augusta quiver in awe.

The newly deceased husband and wife followed the Higher One and disappeared.

"You wish to know how life turned out for you and for your family, in particular, your son, Neville," said the Higher One, after he brought them into a special limbo, that all souls come to, including Lily, when she learned the truth about herself, James and Severus.

"Y-yes. Is he safe?" asked Alice nervously, fit to tears.

The Higher One told them everything…of how the Lestranges and Barty Crouch Jr had tortured them into insanity and how they spent their lives in St Mungo's until now, the time of their deaths. Then they were told of how Neville had been raised by Augusta, of his trials in and out of Hogwarts, his friendship with the Chosen One, Harry Potter and his alliance and co-leadership of Dumbledore's Army during the Second Wizarding War.

"Did he survive?"

"Remarkably so," said the Higher One approvingly. "In fact, your son personally stood up to Lord Voldemort himself. Perhaps you would like to see his greatest triumph…though I warn you, what you see may give you a fright, but rest assured, he comes out on top, unscathed."

Frank and Alice tentatively nodded. They wanted to see their son.

The Higher One instantly brought the denouement of the Battle of Hogwarts into their memories. They saw Voldemort claim Harry Potter was dead, and then a young man rushed out angrily, only to be struck down, and they heard their as-good-as killer, Bellatrix Lestrange name him.

"Neville Longbottom!"

They both gasped. This young man, this brave, noble young man, trying to fight Voldemort himself was their son, their baby boy!

They then heard him being propositioned by Voldemort.

"I'll join you when Hell freezes over!"

Alice clasped her hands to her mouth, and Frank looked on in shock.

Voldemort then proceeded to set Neville's head and the Sorting Hat on fire, and Alice screamed, and Frank bellowed, "NO!"

But then, Neville was free, unburnt and clutching the most splendid sword they had ever seen, pulled out of the Hat.

Then they saw him behead a giant, malicious serpent, which for some reason made Voldemort scream in terror and fury.

A moment later, the scene shifted to just after Harry's victory over Voldemort and the latter's death.

Everyone had cheered for Harry, and Neville was happily joining the celebration.

Then after that, Neville was revealed by Harry that he was the one to destroy the last thing holding Voldemort to immortality, the snake. Neville had helped Harry ensure that Voldemort died and fully avenged the fate of both their parents.

The scene ended, with both Frank and Alice crying with joy and pride.

"Our boy did that?"

"And more!" confirmed the Higher One. "After that, he had a brief stint as an Auror, rounded up several on-the-run Death Eaters, then became a professor of Herbology at Hogwarts and currently owns the Leaky Cauldron...with his wife, Hannah."

The two parents cuddled each other happily but held some remorse and sorrow that they never knew him properly.

"Fear not, my children. Neville has lived and is living a contented happy life, though diminished by your conditions, but always loved you and appreciated the minor gestures you showed him of your love for him, despite your illnesses. He's feeling some relief as well as grief that you have died, but when his time comes, you will all be reunited again, as a whole family."

Frank and Alice felt reassured and were happily returned to their family at the Heaven version of Longbottom Manor.

A week after settling into Heaven, Frank and Alice were given an official welcome party by the Order of the Phoenix members who were also dead. These included Albus Dumbledore, the Marauders and their wives, Mad Eye Moody and many others. They were given pleasantries, happy hugs of reunion, condolences for how their lives turned out and gifts to go with their new surroundings.

"I'm so happy our sons became friends," said Alice to Lily.

"Me too," added Lily.

"Albus tells me that your old school friend redeemed himself and is now living a new life in another universe."

"Yeah, weird how things turn out," confirmed Lily.

"I'm glad you two have reconciled. I found it a bit hasty on your part, but since I was just passing my NEWTs and graduating, there wasn't much I could do to dissuade you. I hope you don't fully regret it."

"No, I don't. I hate how Sev's life turned out, but he has a new life now, I'm helping him through it, and I wouldn't give up my son and husband for anything."

"Good," smiled Alice, kissing Lily's cheek and embraced her happily.

The Order soon joined together at a long table and Dumbledore toasted Frank and Alice.

"For all you had given in the First War, for the terrible price you had to pay, and for bearing the son that helped us to rid the world of Lord Voldemort once and for all!"

"Hear, hear!" came a chorus.

"And to Neville," added Frank.

"To Neville!"

Later, Lily invited Alice to join her, Tonks, Mary, Marlene, Ariana and even Helena Ravenclaw to a girls' day, while Frank was invited to join the Marauders, Fred Weasley, Colin Creevey and several others to a lads' day. Sirius suggested that they have their day at his Heaven home, while Lily hosted the girls' day.

A few days later, the girls and the boys split up for their neighbourly comrades' day together. Lily and the ladies settled and relaxed in the Potters' 'garden' hot tub.

"This is the afterlife!" sighed Alice.

"You said it," replied Tonks and Ariana in unison.

"I can't stay for too long, Lily," said Helena.

"Busy with the Baron and your mother?" asked the hostess.

"Yeah." Helena smiled faintly at the thought of the two most important people in her life and beyond.

Alice was filled in on all of her friends', old and new, lives and afterlives. She showed deep concern and sympathy for Tonks' ongoing plight of not being able to live the life of a mother she had wanted with Teddy, much like Lily and Alice hadn't. She was in awe of Ariana and Helena's respective histories and was disgusted at how Harry had been treated by people such as Dumbledore, Severus (though this was all explained by Lily before) and Lily's sister, Petunia Dursley.

"How is your sister doing, anyway?" asked Tonks. "You said she was low after her husband died last month."

"She's still low," said Lily. "She's been staying with her son and grandchildren, but she seems to be getting worse, despite spending more time with the kids."

"Did she and Harry ever…reconcile?" asked Alice.

"Alas, not really, any formal visits were civil, but awkward and quiet," said Lily. "But she gave him that blanket he came to her doorstep in. She said it was all he had from home left, and it made him hug her, much to her disgust, but she kept quiet, which was odd enough."

"With age comes wisdom. She gained just enough wisdom to keep her mouth shut," said Marlene disdainfully.

Lily didn't retort in her sister's defence. She hated that Petunia wasted her life hating a world that she couldn't be a true part of. She had never been able to let it go, nor her hatred and bitter resentment of Lily, and by default, her nephew, Harry. But at least she made some minor amends by giving Harry the blanket. It was likely the best thing she could expect Petunia to do. Like Severus, she had held her bitterness for too long to let it go easily, if at all.

But Lily knew for sure that when Petunia's time came, she would be getting some stern words from not just Lily, but her friends too.

She smiled with fondness when she remembered what she and James did to Vernon Dursley upon his arrival in Heaven, and she partly had Severus to thank for it.

They had chastised him severely for how he treated Harry during his childhood, before and during his Hogwarts years.

 _"_ _The bloody freakshow had a roof over his head out of the goodness of our hearts!" snapped Vernon._

 _"_ _You never wanted him! It was Petunia mostly! And even she ruined Harry's childhood!" shrieked Lily._

 _"_ _He was bringing oddities and freakiness into our home and neighbourhood! Poor Dudley had the scares of his life with that brat around!"_

 _"_ _YOUR POOR BRAT WAS SPOILED ROTTEN AND WHEN HE BULLIED HARRY, YOU DID NOTHING! YOU THOUGHT THE SUN SHONE OUT OF HIS ARSE!" bellowed James._

 _"_ _Yeah, like you were never like that!" sneered Vernon._

 _And that did it._

 _James was so appalled at the truth in that statement and Vernon's lack of regret and remorse that he snapped._

 _"_ _LEVICORPUS!"_

 _Lily didn't stop James, but watched smugly as Vernon was hoisted into the air and hung upside down by Severus' spell that James had just used._

 _Lily used another spell to make Vernon twirl around in circles like a ballerina in his uncomfortable position._

 _"_ _GET ME DOWN!" roared Vernon._

 _"…_ _Nah!"_

 _And with that, James and Lily left him to it. The spell would wear off within…three to four hours, maybe longer._

Lily giggled at the fond memory and wondered just how she should punish Petunia when her time came, though she didn't necessarily think Vernon had been punished severely enough, but she had all of eternity to make the Dursleys pay for what they did to her only son.

Besides, she had more important things to do, like reconcile with those who did love her in life, and to help Severus take down his new world's version of Lord Voldemort.

 **And there's Chapter 37! Sorry it's much shorter than the other chapters, but it will be compensated with a Christmas/New Year update! Hopefully it'll be longer, and you will all enjoy it! Thanks for reading, please review!**


	38. Chapter 38: Xmas Dinner at Gobstones Inn

**Chapter 38: Christmas Dinner at the Gobstones Inn**

Christmas was coming around the corner for the students of Hogwarts. The majority of the castle was filled with cheer at the end of term, the festive spirits in the atmosphere and for some, excitement at going home for the holidays. However, there were those in the Union, who felt their excitement being punctuated with feelings of dread and pity for Remus, whom was still no closer to recovering.

Severus also had an uncomfortable experience close to the final day of term, when Remus' parents came to visit him for the first time since the day after the attack. None of the Union had been to see him at that juncture as he was freshly feral, and the majority of the time had been taken up with his parents rushing to him in distress. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Pomfrey had also been stressing over how his condition could be exposed if they dared to take him to get some more professional help.

Severus, James and Sirius were visiting Remus when his parents arrived, accompanied by Dumbledore. Dumbledore had a friendly twinkle in his eyes at the sight of the loyal friends, but Mr Lupin had turned red at their presence.

"Why are they here? Are you trying to persecute my son? Get out!"

"No, no, Mr Lupin! It's alright! These boys know everything! They're the ones I wrote to you about. None of them wish to persecute or expose Remus!" explained Dumbledore.

"It's true, sir," said James.

"We care about Remus, werewolf or not," added Sirius.

Severus nodded silently.

"Leave them be, Lyall," said the mother soothingly.

Lyall Lupin relented and they both went to sit opposite the boys to look at their son, whom was currently snoozing, but with the occasional snarl indicating that he wasn't a normal child in a slumber.

"All my fault," murmured Lyall, as his wife stroked her child's hair softly, so as not to wake him.

But even this effort attracted the werewolf inside Remus, as he began sniffing the scent of human flesh in close contact.

"Careful, Hope," said Lyall, but his heart looked broken at the sight before him.

Severus then thought of how Remus had seemed upset when the subject of his father came up. He thought that his father disdained him for his condition because he acted more distant. Severus disagreed, and could see that his own theory was right. Lyall Lupin loved his son, but couldn't bear to look at him at times because he felt responsible for his son being bitten in the first place.

"Sir," said Severus on impulse. "You love your son, don't you?"

Lyall looked up, surprised at the audacity this strange boy had of doubting his devotion and love for his only child.

"What sort of question is that?" he snapped.

"It's a fair one, considering what Remus has told me in the past," replied Severus with backbone.

Dumbledore said nothing. He was sure that Severus had a good purpose for this confrontation.

"I love my family, more than anything in the world, most particularly, my son!" fumed Lyall.

"Then maybe you should show that to him once in a while, sir," said Severus suggestively.

"What do you mean?!"

"When Remus visited me, he was always upset about how distant you are with him. He feels that you no longer love him very much because of what he is."

"But that's ridiculous!" cried Hope.

"Preposterous!" yelled Lyall, which caused his son to stir, but the quick silence that followed made him snarl back into his sleep.

"I know from looking at you that you love Remus…but you can't bear to look at him, because you see the product of your own mistake embedded inside him, now displaying itself in front of you on the outside in his current state! But…how do you think distancing yourself in this way is going to seem to him? He's fragile, scared of life and of people finding out about his condition, and for years, you have loved him but from a distance because you're scared to face him, knowing that it was your mouth that provoked the fiend that did this to him! He thinks you hate him! If you wanna prove him wrong, and prove that you love your son, then stop hiding from your mistake, and face it head on! Face your son, cuddle him and love him!"

"That's enough, Mr Prince," said Dumbledore.

He could see that Severus, while having good intentions, was becoming vitriolic at Lyall for his cowardice.

Lyall and Hope Lupin were stunned, and before they could reply, James and Sirius decided to guide him out.

"We'll leave you to be with your son, Mr and Mrs Lupin," said James.

"Sorry to have disturbed your time with him," added Sirius.

"Have a pleasant Christmas, children," said Dumbledore cheerily.

"Thank you, sir," they all replied in unison.

What they didn't notice on their exit was that in his sleep, Remus had grown quieter…and a tear had leaked from under his closed eyelids. Dumbledore did notice and smiled. Perhaps there was hope yet for young Mr Lupin.

The following morning, Severus joined Lily and their other friends at the Entrance Hall with their trunks and Gabriel in his cage. Zeus Gardner and Hagrid were to take them to the carriages leading to Hogsmeade Station, so they could catch the train back to London.

"Looking forward to Christmas, Sev?" asked Lily.

"Yep, though I sometimes wonder…would we like to spend at least one Christmas here at Hogwarts? Just for the experience."

Severus had been more used to staying at Hogwarts for Christmas during his past life. He almost missed it.

"I dunno…maybe," replied Lily.

The rest of the Union soon joined them, although Sirius was planning to stay for Christmas. He said it was so someone could visit Remus over Christmas Day, but they all knew that it was also because he didn't want to go home to his parents at Grimmauld Place.

After parting with his friends and brother cheerfully, Sirius waved them off as they followed Gardner to the Thestral-drawn coaches.

"Can't wait to get home," said Peter. "Though I wish Remus was coming with us."

"We all do, Peter," sighed James.

"He's in good hands though," said Melody optimistically.

"And Siri's with him…he still won't tell me what's actually up with Lupin though," said Regulus with a suspicious voice.

James knew the subject was now touching rocky grounds, so he diverted it.

"What are you going to do for Christmas without Sirius then, Reg?"

"Not a lot, just have dinner with family. Might sneak out in between to visit Melody, if that's okay with you, that is."

"Of course, it is, Reggie," said Melody happily.

Regulus smiled in return.

After the Union bade an equally friendly farewell with Gardner and Hagrid, (the latter especially) they boarded the Hogwarts Express and the train moved out into the countryside.

As the miles were eaten up behind them, the Union played Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess, and also treated themselves to sweets from the trolley. After Severus exchanged his Dumbledore card for Quincey's Ravenclaw, he saw that Malfoy and his gang were leering in on them.

"Get out of here, Malfoy!" he sneered, drawing his wand.

Malfoy opened the compartment before anybody thought to lock it.

"You don't want to disrespect us again," he warned, "Not after what happened to your poor _little_ friend."

Peter and James rose in fury.

"Remus is bigger than you'll ever be!" snapped Peter.

"You're nothing, but scum!" raged James.

"No, Potter…it is blood traitors like you and those I considered family, who are scum! Scum who like to spend time with those who are…" He directed his glare at Lily and Melody, "…lower than scum!"

Severus and Regulus lunged at Malfoy simultaneously.

"What's this?"

The trolley lady appeared once more.

"Back off, old woman!"

"Expelliarmus!"

Once again, Malfoy was Disarmed, and Frank and Alice appeared, the latter Disarming his cohorts.

"Get out of our sight!" said Frank firmly.

"Until next term," snarled Malfoy.

He and his friends stalked away, and Frank duly apologised to the trolley lady for the disturbance, which had by now gained attention. Several heads were poking out of neighbouring compartments.

"Nothing more to be seen," called Alice, and the heads retreated, and the doors snapped shut once more.

The Union went back to their peaceful pastimes, after some severe words from Frank to Severus and Regulus. Regulus remained silent for the rest of the journey, not even looking Melody in the eye. Severus, on the other hand, kept trying to reassure Lily that she was more than Malfoy, let alone scum.

At long last, they arrived at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, and a minute later, were all reunited with their respective parents and separated until term commenced once more.

Severus and Lily found Eileen, Petunia, Rose and Trevor standing together. They all greeted them with happy expressions.

"How have you two been?" asked Rose, embracing her daughter tightly, while Severus received a kiss on the cheek from Eileen, earning a teasing smirk from Petunia.

"We've been…okay," replied Lily.

She hadn't bothered her family with recounting the attack. She agreed it would be best to inform them, if even necessary, when they were back in the same house and fully assured of hers and Severus' safety.

"You sound unsure?" said Trevor.

"Can we explain later? I wanna be happy for now," said Lily.

"Okay, but as soon as we're home, we're having a talk," said Eileen.

They all agreed and while driving home had some decent conversations about what everybody on each side got up to in the time apart. Lily and Severus spoke of the lessons they learned, and Petunia spoke of how she and her friends from school had been struggling for their forthcoming exams. Rose and Trevor spoke of their respective jobs and most benevolent bonuses offered to them for Christmas.

Eileen was keeping silent, and very much, Severus wondered why.

It was evening by the time they all returned to Cokeworth. Lily and Severus were to tell their parents at their homes what had occurred over the term, and Rose whispered to Eileen to tell her all about 'it' tomorrow.

Severus was wondering what the 'it' was, but first as they walked into their home at Spinner's End, Severus' trunk hauled behind him, Eileen made him start with the events on Halloween. Severus recounted everything to her.

"Oh, that poor young boy," sighed Eileen. "As if he hadn't suffered enough already, but now this?"

"I know, Mum," replied Severus glumly.

"Well, let's hope he's better soon, maybe as a Christmas miracle, he'll get his mind back," concluded Eileen optimistically.

Severus nodded in hope.

"What are you hiding then, Mum?"

Eileen sank in her chair and looked to her son with a gleam in her eyes.

"It's Robin."

"What about him? Has he hurt you? Like Tobias?"

Before Severus could get carried away, Eileen cut in.

"No, no! Nothing like that…in fact, quite the opposite. He's moving in."

Severus was stunned.

"Y-you're gonna live together?"

"Yes, but I have insisted we live here," said Eileen.

"Why?"

"Because we can't have you living too far away from Lily, now, can we?"

Eileen smiled. So did Severus.

"That makes me sound like a stalker," he said.

"Not really," replied his mother. "We're just keeping you close, so that you have more interaction with her and more of a chance to win her heart. Besides, I don't think I could ever really part from this place. I still have _some_ fond memories here. The first few years of your life, for instance."

Severus hoped her analysis was correct. Then he noticed something else.

"What's that on your hand?"

Eileen smiled nervously. He had noticed the emerald glinting on her finger.

"An engagement ring," she said bluntly.

"You're marrying Robin too?!"

"Yes. It's time to move on," she replied in a dreamy tone.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?"

"You mean, am I sure that he is the right person?"

Severus kept quiet.

"Yes, I'm sure, Severus. And I promise if he does anything your father would have done, I will not hesitate to send him on his way. I won't let you down again."

Severus hugged her.

"I just want you to be happy too, and I have seen Robin make you so," he admitted.

"Thank you, honey," she whispered.

Severus was having a difficult time contemplating the idea of having a new father one day; his mother indicated it could be as early as next summer. But he was happy that his mother was finally taking the big steps into moving on from Tobias. Perhaps the relationship with Robin could survive the traumas of the past after all.

Rose and Trevor were none too pleased to learn that Lily had kept such a terrible event from them for nearly two months, but as she came out of the experience relatively unharmed, they let the matter drop after a few hours.

Petunia, on the other hand, grew more and more upset.

"Why are these people so prejudiced against us and people of your magical blood status?" she sobbed, "There are more of us than there are wizards. We'd outmatch them, but the secrecy stuff should keep us in harmony, surely!"

"They don't want to be hidden, Tuney," explained Lily patiently. "They want to rule the world without feeling they have to hide with their tails between their legs. They think they're better than Muggles in every way and wish to prove it by wiping them and my kind of witch and wizard out."

"What about Severus? His dad was a regular- I mean, Muggle?"

"Yeah, Sev's a Half-Blood. They're not very respected by those who are fully magical in blood, but they're tolerated to an extent."

Petunia nodded grimly.

"Lils…promise me that you'll be safe?"

"I can't promise that, Tuney."

The two sisters were cuddling with tears in their eyes at the idea of one of them being part of an impending war-based world a moment later.

Fortunately, the days that followed were much more cheerful in the lead up to Christmas. Severus and Lily were a little saddened to learn that they wouldn't be together at Christmas this year, as the Evans family planned to visit Rose's family in London, while Severus, Eileen and the newly situated Robin were to spend Christmas at Prince Manor.

Severus was looking forward to seeing his grandparents again. Every time he met them, he came to love them more and more, despite his original attitude towards them in his past life and his current one.

On Christmas Eve morning, Severus bade Lily and her family farewell, but before they went off, Petunia pulled him aside, much to the rest of the Evans' puzzlement.

"Severus…I know how much you care for Lily and know that I will be first in line to kick your arse should you ever hurt her…but bearing in mind how much you care, I want you to promise me something."

Severus blushed and after a moment replied, "Ok?"

"I want you to protect Lily at all costs from those blood racists she's told me about. If war does come in the Wizarding World, please promise me you will look after my little sister no matter what."

Severus was both astonished and delighted at Petunia's concern for her sister and her trust in him to look after her where she could not.

"You have my word, Petunia," he said in earnest. "I will not let any harm come to Lily."

Petunia smiled.

"Good. Thank you, Severus, and Merry Christmas."

Petunia silently retreated to the car and without explaining herself to her family, sat beside her sister. Severus waved cheerily to them all as they drove off to London, then made his way back to Spinner's End to join his mother and Robin on their trip to Prince Manor.

"You okay, honey?" asked Eileen, noticing Severus' blushed face.

"Yeah, Mum, all's good," replied her son.

Severus was very happy. In spite of all the hardships ahead, Petunia's trust in him had made his Christmas already.

Robin patted his shoulder.

"Go grab your stuff, Severus. We're ready to go."

Severus did so, learning to respect Robin and any orders he was given. He felt that Robin was being a little presumptuous in his authority over him but did not object. A firm, but fair and loving father figure was one of the things he had always wanted, and he now had it through Robin.

Soon enough, they were all ready, and one by one stepped into the Floo to go to the manor.

Severus emerged last and was promptly greeted with a loving embrace from Desdemona.

"How are you, Severus, dear?" she asked instantly. "Eileen told us about your misadventure on Halloween."

"My grandson, you must always inform us of such assaults! I could have had Malfoy and his comrades up in court," said Septimus fiercely.

"There's no evidence on them, Grandad," replied Severus meekly.

"We would produce some, Severus!"

"I promise to inform you thusly in future, Grandad," promised Severus.

"Very well, then. I wish your friend, Master Lupin, a speedy recovery."

"Thank you, Grandad."

Severus soon set up in his bedroom and the family, including Robin, settled down to a pleasant dinner provided by the Prince house elves, consisting of gammon and beef.

"By the way, dear…" addressed Septimus to Eileen, "…I thought that for Christmas dinner tomorrow, we would pay another visit to your old favourite, the Gobstones Inn."

"B-but won't the Inn be closed for Christmas, Father?" asked Eileen puzzledly, pausing from placing a bit of sweet potato into her mouth.

"Not tomorrow, dear, no," replied Septimus simply.

"Well, thank you, Daddy," said his daughter with a smile.

Severus was also keen to return to the Gobstones Inn, as he did enjoy his first visit there. The place was very compact and welcoming to all people, despite their blood groups. He also loved the food and the friendly staff.

"Then it's settled!" exclaimed Septimus. "The Gobstones Inn tomorrow at 2pm sharp for Christmas dinner!"

And so it was fully arranged, though Robin, Septimus and Desdemona were all sharing knowing smiles with one another, whilst Severus and Eileen indulged themselves with some Yorkshire puddings.

It was Christmas morning.

Severus had a huge pile of presents under Septimus and Desdemona's exquisitely decorated tree, all from his family and his friends in the Union.

He had never felt more loved, not that presents were the definition of love and friendship, of course.

After opening all of his new Defence and Potions books, his new notebook from Lily to draft his own theorems and ideas and many a sweet or snack box, Severus joined his family for breakfast. Septimus and Desdemona spoke merrily, and Eileen and Robin held hands under the table. Severus smiled at the sight of these contented people so dear to him.

Once they were full, Severus worked off his food by going for a flight on a broom with Robin. Eileen watched the two men in her life, her fiancé and her son bonding, and smiled with a tear gleaming in her eye.

"They got on quite well, dear," said Desdemona.

"Yes, Mother, they do. And I love them so much."

The mother and daughter hugged happily, and Septimus smiled at the doorway as he observed.

After their fun in the snow and in the air, the Prince family dressed formally and suavely for their Christmas dinner at the Gobstones Inn.

Eileen was the keenest to go. She had never gone to the Gobstones Inn for Christmas, despite it being her favourite place to eat out. She also used to be part of the Gobstones Club there after graduating Hogwarts, until she ran off with Tobias.

It was always a pleasure to go back there for her.

Soon, the family Flooed in and they found that the entire Inn was empty. Not even the landlord was there behind the bar. But the fires were lit, and the lamps were too.

"Where is everybody, Dad?" asked Eileen.

"I made it, so we'd be the only ones to dine here, love," explained her father, with an innocent expression.

Eileen smiled in a puzzled sort of way and joined her family as they sat at the best table, close to the same fireplace they had just come out of.

"What would you like to eat then, everyone?" asked Septimus.

"I'll have the traditional turkey, I think," said Robin.

Everybody else said the same, though Severus asked for the addition of some pigs in blankets to go with his turkey.

"Capital choice, m'lad!" said Septimus approvingly.

Then he said something quite unexpected.

"Plop!"

A house elf appeared out of thin air and bowed respectfully. Severus and Eileen, however, recognised him as one of the Prince Manor elves.

"You have your choices, Master?"

"Indeed so, Plop! We'll all have the turkey and some pigs in blankets for young Severus, please."

"Yes, of course, sir!" squeaked Plop, and he vanished once more.

"Father, what is Plop doing here? Why is he working in the Gobstones Inn kitchen?"

Eileen was very confused, and then she noticed that her mother and fiancé had knowing grins on their faces.

"Plop and a dozen more elves are here and in the kitchen, Eileen…because I have recently bought the Gobstones Inn," said Septimus with a smile.

"B-but, Father, why on earth did you…? You can't run a-!"

"I know I cannot run this fine establishment, Eileen," interrupted her father, "but that's not why I have bought the place. I bought it because the Gobstones Inn is a Christmas present for _you_."

Eileen was certain that she had misheard. She said nothing, so her father continued.

"I have made the deal with the landlord, Mr Eccles. His wife passed recently, so he had decided to retire. Upon hearing this, and hearing in a conversation from your newly beloved here, that you had always fantasised about owning this place, I made the necessary arrangements and deals with Eccles, and I have signed over the Inn to your name. Eileen Prince, you are now the proud owner of the Gobstones Inn!"

Eileen didn't know what to say. She hazily looked at Robin, whom was grinning from ear to ear.

"You knew?" she whispered.

"Thought it'd be a lovely Christmas surprise," he confirmed.

If Robin could ever have fully earned Severus' respect and stamp of approval, it was now. He was so happy for his mother; she had achieved her childhood dream of owning her favourite restaurant.

Eileen was all of a flutter. She could hardly believe what had happened.

"B-but I don't know the Inn's recipes and-"

"Eccles sold me those too, sweetheart!" cut in Septimus. "The house elves are using them now to make the turkey dinners just right! Don't you worry about a thing, love! It's all taken care of, and everything will remain as it is, only with you in charge!"

"You have your own business now, Eileen," smiled Robin, "and on top of that, I can help you with shifts, so you can take time off to work on your potions! We can quit our jobs at Aberforth's and move on to here. It'll be lovely!"

Eileen cried tears of joy at the prospects ahead of her. She owned the Gobstones Inn, and she was getting married, and her parents gave her a new lease of life, along with helping her bring salvation to her son, away from his biological father.

She sprung from her seat and hugged her father tight.

"Thank you so, so much, Daddy!" she squeaked as her tears flowed.

Septimus smiled quietly as he hugged his daughter.

"Now, now, dinner will be here soon!"

After a hug and a kiss on the cheek from her mother, Eileen sat back down and cuddled Robin.

Severus smiled at them. They were so happy, and Eileen smiled back at her son.

After dinner, Septimus raised his glass of sherry.

"A toast to Eileen Prince, soon to be Eileen Kennedy! And to the family Prince for this joyous occasion!"

"Hear, hear!"

"Merry Christmas, everybody!" declared Septimus.

"Merry Christmas!" chanted the family.

 **And there's Chapter 38, as a Boxing Day update! Sorry I didn't update yesterday! I hope you all enjoy it! Chapter 39 will be up soon in 2019! Thank you for reading! Please review!**


	39. Chapter 39: The Silent Werewolf

**Chapter 39: The Silent Werewolf**

The New Year brought many joys to the Princes and the Evans family. They celebrated together at the Manor and reunited just before the party after the latter family returned from London.

Severus and Lily felt tempted to have a New Year's kiss but felt too self-conscious to do so around their respective parents. They settled for a dance together instead, watched fondly by Eileen and Robin. Petunia didn't look jealous that Lily had a dance partner. In fact, she didn't really dance. Lily was sure her sister wanted to dance, and the party did have a few boys there, but she showed no interest in the boys present. One such boy had asked for her arm in a foxtrot, but she politely declined.

"What's wrong, Tuney?" asked Lily.

"Think I've got a poorly ankle, when I slipped on Grandpa's footstep," explained Petunia.

"You haven't been limping," countered Lily puzzledly.

"I don't want to be a hobbling mess, Lils," said Petunia, though she was blushing.

"Yeah, yeah, Tuney _must_ be prim and proper and perfect at all times," teased Lily with a dictating tone.

Petunia smacked her sister's arm.

"You're one to talk about someone being perfect!" she retorted.

"Oh, let's not go there again, Tuney, please!"

"So…how come you and Sev didn't kiss?"

"W-what?"

"You love him, Lily. I can see it."

"We're just…not ready yet," mumbled Lily.

"If you say so," replied Petunia disbelievingly.

The families all went to bed half an hour later and they dreamed of the happy days that lay ahead in 1974, including the upcoming birthdays of Severus and Lily in only a few days or weeks' time.

The best friends' birthdays went by very quickly.

It was when they returned to Hogwarts. Severus was surprised with a party in the Ravenclaw common room, Quincey hosting it with the other Ravenclaws and letting all the members of the Union. Severus loved his birthdays and Christmas celebrations more and more with each year that had passed lately, mostly because quite unlike the majority of his old life, he was loved. He also spoke to his mother via the Floo Network, during the party.

"Don't be up too late, now, will you?" she warned.

"No, Mum," he promised.

He had been given many gifts too, including a brand-new cauldron, made of gold. It was a joint gift from Lily, Eileen and Robin.

"Lily," he murmured in awe.

"I forgot all about it after what happened with Remus, Andromeda and Malfoy's bunch, but during Christmas, when we were unwrapping gifts in London, I remembered how much you wanted that gold cauldron in Ceridwen's in Hogsmeade, so I owled your mother and we agreed to share the purchase. I only donated a small amount compared to your mum and Robin, but I did my best, and I also gave you that too."

She pointed to a still-wrapped gift, that looked like a book.

"I don't care, you thought of it! Mum wouldn't have known. I never asked for the cauldron for my birthday or for Christmas! I forgot too! Thank you, Lils!"

"Any time, Sev," giggled Lily.

They looked like they wanted to kiss each other, but too many people were watching, and they resisted.

Lily's birthday went just as well. She had a morning Floo chat with her parents and Petunia. The latter looked around at the common room in awe. It was almost as interesting as sticking her head in a fireplace to have a wizarding phone call with her younger sister.

After that, gifts were exchanged in the Gryffindor common room before classes began, then that evening, the Union and the other Gryffindors had another party in Lily's name. She had many wonderful gifts, including an emerald necklace from Severus.

"This is so beautiful!" she cried.

"Happy 14th," whispered her best friend as they cuddled, and he put the necklace on her.

Lily knew with certainty that she and Severus would be dating soon. If he didn't make the first move, she would.

At the end of the party, the group also acknowledged the unfortunate absence of Remus.

"To his recovery!" toasted Lily, with her bottle of Butterbeer, provided by the house elves at Regulus and Melody's request.

The elves were growing fond of the Union members.

And that was how the birthdays passed, and soon came Valentine's Day, and although the students were beginning to think about their exams, the hype for kissing and chocolates and a visit to Hogsmeade was buzzing across Hogwarts.

Severus asked Lily if she would accompany him but didn't dare say it was as his date. He was still too reserved, and still frightened and ashamed of his past.

Lily eagerly accepted.

"But only if you take me to anywhere But Madam Puddifoot's!" she giggled. "So much pink!"

Severus chuckled in agreement.

"I wouldn't take you there even if you implored me!" he said.

"You'd do anything for Lily, don't lie!" teased James, whom was with Rebecca, his arm around her waist.

"Oh, shut up!" snapped Severus, though not with as much conviction as he would have done with the original James.

James laughed and led Rebecca away.

Quincey and Mary, meanwhile, had openly announced their relationship properly the day before Valentine's Day, and were planning to visit Madam Puddifoot's again. Quincey had a weakness for over-sugared tea and Mary loved the exaggerated romantic theme, especially in the company of her boyfriend.

Sirius and Marlene were also going, along with James and Rebecca. But both the males felt bad about going around enjoying themselves with Remus in his current state. But that was when Peter stepped up to the mark.

"I don't mind staying behind with Remus," he said, "It's not like I've got a date on Valentine's Day."

He looked slightly forlorn as he said this.

"Thanks, Pete, but don't beat yourself up about it. The perfect girl for you is out there somewhere," said James encouragingly.

"And for Remus, too!" added Sirius optimistically.

Peter blushed, but there was clearly hope in his eyes. He rushed off upstairs to join Remus.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" asked Severus. "He doesn't know about Remus' condition, and if he acts like he has been lately…he might figure it out."

"I'm not too sure Peter is clever enough," said Sirius.

Severus knew that could be the case. Despite being friends with a werewolf, Peter nearly flunked an exam question about them on the day Severus' friendship with Lily died in the original universe.

"Alright…if you say so," he replied.

Soon, the friends had split up to do their own thing in Hogsmeade for Valentine's Day. Mary was appalled that Lily had actually told Severus that she didn't want to join them at Madam Puddifoot's. But eventually, she concluded most cheekily that Lily just wasn't as romantic as she was.

"You wait till I find you later!" called Lily, as Mary ran off.

Severus didn't hear what Mary had said but knew Lily would make good on her word to get even.

The two of them went on to the Three Broomsticks, and they saw some other friends there. Alice and Frank were sharing meals together, and Nora was on her first date with a Gryffindor fifth year.

They found their own little space to sit together, and Severus went to order some Butterbeers and a lunch each.

"My treat," he said to Lily.

"My, my, such a gentleman!" giggled Lily.

Severus tried not to blush.

"So, tell me, Sev…is this meant to be a date?" teased Lily, feeling that now was the right time.

Severus was flummoxed at her prompt and sudden question. His face fully flushed this time, and he nearly fell out of his seat. It was almost comical to the cheeky Lily.

"I-I…"

Lily worried a little at his hesitation.

Severus was so keen to admit his feelings for Lily openly, at long last. But at the same time, his memories of the past were blocking him. They were an obstacle in his way, and he feared the idea of entering a relationship with Lily without her knowing what the boy she wished to date really was…a ruthless spy, a former Death Eater…a killer.

Lily rose from her seat.

"I see I got the wrong end of the stick."

"No, no! Don't go, please!"

Severus sounded so desperate that Lily froze, almost shocked at how terrible he sounded.

"Y-you just took me by surprise," he murmured, trying to control himself.

"But do you think we may ever see each other in that way?" asked Lily, trying to sound indifferent with whatever answer he provided.

Severus decided to be as honest as possible. The guilt of his memories was too much to bear at the moment.

"I'm already there, Lils. But…I don't know if I am ready to…get into that sort of thing yet."

Lily breathed out deeply. Severus had just admitted that he saw her as more than a friend, and it didn't entirely surprise her that he was not ready. Although, her thoughts of his reasons were due to his abusive father and his mother's relationship being his primary example of a coupling.

"I understand, Sev. I'll be here when you are…cos…I'm there too!"

Severus was so happy that Lily had just confessed her own feelings for him after all. She was falling in love with him. She did care for him as more than a friend in this world. He was getting his wish after all this time.

The rest of the day went by without any trouble.

On the walk back to Hogwarts, the two friends met up with Quincey and Mary, and they endured the pair's romantic dinner scenario, and how they felt closer than ever on this Valentine's Day.

"He got me this promise ring!" squealed Mary to Lily, once they were separated to go to the Common Room to get ready for dinner.

The ring was sparkling red to represent the house Mary was in, and it had carved around it, Q and M.

"That's so cute!" said Lily keenly, holding her friend's hand closer to observe the ring.

"I don't think it's real ruby," said Mary, "His family aren't rich, but I still love it so. It shows how much he cares about me and our relationship."

"What did you give him?"

"A trip to second base, and a pair of lovers' underwear."

"You're awful!" gasped Lily, clasping her hands to her face. It had gone bright red.

"Yet you all love me!"

"Do not!"

Severus and Quincey, on the other hand, had no intention of boasting about their day with their respective girls.

"So, how was your day?"

"Not bad."

Just then, Peter, James and Sirius came running up the corridor, spotted the pair and delightedly called to them.

"Remus is making progress!" cheered Peter.

"He's talking again? He's healing?" asked Quincey eagerly.

"Not exactly," replied James, "but he has stopped making those weird noises. He no longer looks like he wants to maul you, but he does look…haunted."

"What did Pomfrey say?"

"That he is likely losing his weirdness gained from the attack," said Sirius cryptically, "but he likely has a very muddled memory. It'll take time still, at the most, a year or two."

Severus and Quincey looked forlorn to hear that.

"But at the same time, Pomfrey says it could be as soon as Easter. We just don't know yet. Time will tell."

Severus and his friends spread the news amongst their Houses, and to the others in the Union the following morning, and each of them prayed to Merlin, and in Severus' case; the Higher Ones, that Remus would recover as soon as Easter after all.

But Easter passed by in almost no time, and the exams were due to begin soon. Any hopes of Remus recovering in enough time to not be held back for a year were now nullified. To make matters worse, he made no further progress in his recovery since Valentine's Day.

Severus went to visit him alone. He felt deeply ashamed at how much Remus had missed. While he still to this day could never forgive the original Marauders, he had grown to truly care for this version of Remus as a good friend, and to know that even if he did fully recover, he would be stuck in Hogwarts for another year…a year without his friends once they graduated.

He had also had his own concerns beyond Remus. He had spoken to Lily Potter recently, and informed her that despite his fair fortunes of late, he still had darkness in his heart. He still couldn't bring himself to stop hating the original Marauders, and he still only felt an acquaintanceship with the new ones, bar Remus. He also felt hate for both Dumbledores. Oh, he was indebted to the original one for being there for him, albeit distantly, and for granting him his chance for redemption, as well as his second chance at life…but he hated him for corrupting his soul with murder, and for all the injustice he had suffered because of Dumbledore's prejudice and 'Greater Good.'

Dumbledore had overlooked every bit of suffering he had endured at the hands of the Marauders, and although he gave as much as he got, he hardly found it fair that it was always four against one. Remus may not have harmed Severus, but he turned a blind eye and if a staff member ever caught them, Remus, as a prefect reluctantly lied to turn all the blame of the incident onto Severus.

Even more reprehensible, Severus never to this day received justice for the attempt on his life by Sirius Black. Dumbledore may have had reason to hide the truth to protect Remus, but he never offered Severus any form of consolation nor compensation for what could have been his murder. The last straw was Lily abandoning him for one slur of the moment. Dumbledore then proceeded to manipulate Severus and allowed Harry and Lupin to humiliate him many times over without punishment.

Lily Potter understood Severus' hatred and despair.

"Your justice came with your second chance though, Sev," she had said.

"No, I came back to try and make things right in another world and I got the bonus of having a chance with this world's Lily," he had replied. "I wanted to end another Voldemort myself since I got my memories back. I owe it to the world I left such a dark smudge on. But Potter and his cronies…they had all their privileges handed on a plate."

"They still had hard times too, Sev," said Lily with a hint of hardness in her tone. "James lost his parents and his own life far too early, Sirius rotted in Azkaban for 12 years and two years later died without pardon, Peter wasted his life as a coward, and both my Remus and your new Remus have had discriminated lives as werewolves."

"You and Potter had each other, and now your families too. You were never separated after death like we were…Black should have gone to Azkaban that night he tried to make me into dog food! He got what he deserved, only under the guise of another crime! Wormtail got what he deserved too and you know it. And I care for this Remus, but that one was nothing more than a coward and a liar!"

"Sev!"

Severus had been so sad to hear that tone again. It was like Lily always took her husband's side on things…like him nearly dying didn't really matter. Like all the suffering that ruined his childhood at Hogwarts was worthwhile because she found love and friendship, and that was all that mattered.

These thoughts angered him and he dropped the Stone.

He wasn't due another talk with Lily until summer. And at the moment, he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

And now, as he sat with his wakeful but silent and still friend, Severus sighed in despair.

"Can you understand me, Remus?"

There was no response.

"I just don't know what to do. You're my friend, you all are, to an extent. But I just can't forgive them."

He didn't speak out who 'them' were.

"I hate them so much, Remus…and I hate those Death Eater wannabes who did this to you. But how can I ever hate her, even when she chose those shitheads over me?"

Severus genuinely didn't know what to do when he died again. He couldn't bear the idea of leaving Lily Potter as a friend, as she so readily did to him. But at the same time, he couldn't bear the company she kept, and even though he had the new world's Lily likely in dating's grasp, it still made him sick to his stomach to envisage his best friend kissing James Potter, or speaking highly of him as her soulmate and husband.

"How can we remain friends at the end?"

Remus had no answer and apparently, no comprehension or concept of the one-sided conversation in the slightest.

 **Sorry, it's taken a month. Been busy at university. But this filler chapter is now over, and I can't wait to tell the next few chapters! Big changes are coming, some good, some bad, very bad! Keep reading, reviewing and loving, please! Thank you!**


	40. Chapter 40: The Petunia Shock

**Chapter 40: The Petunia Shock**

 **(Spoilers here, but necessary. I wish to warn the readers here that homosexuality and mild negative reactions to it will be featured in this chapter. This is** **NOT** **personal, it is merely an attempt to make the story realistic, as the story is set in 1974 at this juncture. Please enjoy but know that I am not against homosexuality and I do not mean any offence.)**

There was no doubt that swimming in the Great Lake in the middle of June was a pleasing pastime, particularly if you had a friend who was more than just a friend to you. Severus and Lily had a fun swim together, along with Quincey, Mary, James and Rebecca. However, the fun was diminished when they took note that Severus was the only one in their group still wearing a shirt.

"Why don't you take it off, mate?" asked James. "It's not like you're hiding any fat that would embarrass you."

"Shut the hell up!" snapped Severus.

Lily was surprised at the outburst, as were the others, but the former understood. Severus must be hiding scars bestowed to him by his father.

"James, can I speak with you a moment?" she said.

"Sure?"

They swam to shore, Rebecca stroked one of the Giant Squid's tentacles and Severus trod water, staring at the pair with suspicion, trepidation and suppressed loathing.

"Sev had a rough childhood," she said briefly, "he's hiding something other than weight…"

James caught on to what Lily was indicating and bowed his head. He didn't pronounce his understanding, as he felt quite inadequate at what he nearly made Severus do.

The rest of the year had passed swiftly, in spite of the exams. One major relief for everyone was that Lucius Malfoy would be graduating this year. Severus knew full well that he would instantly go to Voldemort and be branded as a Death Eater, and after all he had done to the Union, he was feeling no regrets at not having a friendship with him.

Frank and Alice had tough exams, and Frank was keen to get the year ahead of him out of the way so he could train as an Auror. Alice planned to join him once she too graduated.

"What do you plan on doing when you leave?" asked Mary.

"Bit soon to be thinking about that, isn't it?" asked Lily.

"Not really, it's only four years off from now," said Marlene.

"Well, the idea of resisting Voldemort without actually fighting and risking death is appealing, so I wouldn't mind becoming a Healer."

"Same," added Mary, "we could be nurse buddies!"

"I'm more of a mystery gal," said Marlene, "so I'm considering becoming an Unspeakable."

"Oooh!" chanted the girls in unison.

"What about you, Andromeda?" asked Rebecca.

Andromeda was sat with a still unhappy looking Narcissa. The latter barely spoke to anyone in the Union, though Severus, keen to start a new friendship with this new version of the woman who made him godfather to her son, often offered her comforting words.

Lily didn't mind. She knew Severus didn't fancy Narcissa. He didn't look at her in the way he looked at Lily.

"I am planning on marrying Ted as soon as I leave here, but then I'll consider working at the Ministry," replied Andromeda dreamily.

"We're gonna miss you," said Lily softly.

"You'll do fine, but please look after this grouchy girl for me in my absence."

"We will, if you'll let us, Narcissa.

Narcissa barely registered and shrugged in acknowledgement.

The end of the year feast came a week after that. Ravenclaw won the House Cup, and Severus celebrated accordingly with the Union, particularly Quincey, Nora and Elizabeth. Lily and Frank offered keen congratulations.

The Union also held a tearful farewell the night before to Frank and Andromeda, and a good riddance to Malfoy.

The next day, they all shared an expanded compartment, all happy at the end of term and a long, pleasant summer ahead. However, they were still saddened that Remus was not on the train with them. His parents had conceded to letting him remain in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing as there was nothing from home that they could do. Frank and Andromeda's departure also came as more difficult than they had anticipated as the train slowed to a stop at King's Cross.

The girls practically cried as they hugged goodbye to Andromeda, and Frank insisted that none of them or the boys sobbed at his departure. After a long farewell in the compartment, the friends parted ways for the summer. Andromeda left with her boyfriend, Ted Tonks, and with Narcissa, whom was struggling not to look Ted in the eye, let alone her mutinous ex-boyfriend. She was still ill at ease with her new situation and dreaded what her parents would have to say about her broken engagement and relationship.

Severus and Lily joined their families. The only one among them missing was Petunia.

"Hello, you two!" said Rose.

The parents all noticed that the pair were subconsciously holding hands. This sparked some concern for Rose and Trevor.

Eileen, on the other hand, felt delighted and cheerful.

"Let's get going, shall we?" she suggested.

They all once again shared a car, and as they pulled out of the station, Lily asked after Petunia and her whereabouts.

"She's fine, m'dear," replied Rose, "she's entertaining her friend, Carly? Carly Willett?"

Lily remembered. A redhead with attractive qualities who became Petunia's friend after her acceptance of Muggle life, alongside another girl named Millie Quince.

"How are those two friends?" she asked.

"Carly's good, though Millie is spending more of her time with her new man, older student, would you believe? By the name of Vernon…something. She brought him round with her once, looks like a walrus with high blood pressure."

Severus' jaw dropped. Vernon Dursley was in this new world too, and was not dating Petunia, but her friend.

But if he's dating Millie, who is Petunia gonna be with? he thought to himself.

He didn't remember any such scandal of Petunia betraying a friend to date Vernon, and he wasn't exactly a man worthy of betraying a friendship for. Severus then recollected that Petunia was likely not friends with Millie Quince in the old universe, and so never managed to get her acquainted with Vernon. But he was still worried that she had inadvertently doomed herself to being single…not having a family life…not having her son, Dudley.

"You look nervous, Sev," said Lily.

"No, just possibly travel sick," he said.

"You don't often get travel sick," pointed out Trevor.

Lily recalled Severus saying that he was as such when they first met James and Sirius on the train, but she had a gut feeling that he was passing off his nervousness and disdain for the pair with this excuse, but what could have caused Severus to feel this vexed in this moment?

The rest of the journey passed by quite inconsequentially, but Severus and Lily were delighted to learn that there was an extra special thing to look forward to this summer: a wedding.

"We're going to marry on August the 18th," revealed Eileen.

"That's wonderful news!" squealed Lily excitedly.

"I can't wait!" added Severus, and he wasn't lying. He couldn't wait for the happiest day of his mother's new life.

The conversation was soon swiftly taken over by Eileen, Rose and Lily talking of wedding plans. Trevor and Robin were silently chuckling and shaking their heads, and Severus fell asleep.

But at long last, they arrived at Spinner's End, and the Princes and Robin disembarked and hauled out Severus' trunk.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Lils," said Severus.

"Usual place," smiled Lily.

The Evans family drove back to their home, where Petunia was likely going to greet them, keen to hear from Lily about her most recent educational updates. But she wasn't at the door as Lily had anticipated.

Must be upstairs doing her nails with Carly, she thought dismissively.

"Got your trunk, Lily?" asked Trevor.

"Yeah, Dad," replied Lily.

"I'll go on in and get the kettle on," he said.

Rose helped Lily move her trunk, but as she locked the boot of the car, they heard a horrified shout.

"OH MY GOD!"

Rose and Lily rushed inside, the trunk left outside and forgotten.

They burst into the conjoined dining room and living room where Trevor stood, shell-shocked, pale and mortified.

There in front of him, in a tight cuddle, both looking fearful and pale, were Petunia and Carly Willett.

Lily wouldn't have seen the need for concern if not for the fact that Petunia had a lipstick marked cheek and that Carly was not wearing her t-shirt, and her bra was exposed.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" bellowed Trevor.

Carly scrambled to put her t-shirt on. Nobody stopped her. Lily was just staring at Petunia in shock, and Rose was growing pale and tried to reach out for Trevor's hand, but he yanked it away, advancing on the two fifteen-year olds with disgust.

"If you come near this house again, you will regret it! Now get out!"

"Dad-!"

"Silence, Petunia Evans!"

Carly and Petunia shared a frightened look and Carly ran out of the house as fast as she could.

Lily was frightened too. She had never seen her father look this way before, dangerous, angry, intimidating. She knew that he had a jaunt disdain for this sort of thing, but to aim it at his own daughter…

"Dad, please calm down!"

"Be quiet, Lily! Go upstairs with your trunk!"

"We were just experimenting! We're not in love, Dad! We're too good as friends to risk that! There was nothing serious in it!"

"YOU WERE KISSING YOUR FRIEND IN A STATE OF UNDRESS!" shouted Trevor.

"We g-got c-carried away! P-please, Daddy-!"

"NO EXCUSES! GET UPSTAIRS AND STAY OUT OF MY SIGHT! YOU'RE GROUNDED AND NOT TO SEE THAT GIRL AGAIN!"

Petunia ran up to her room crying. Lily went to get her trunk, and when she saw Petunia take off up the stairs, she took advantage of her own dismissal and went into her sister's bedroom.

"Tuney?"

She found her sister hunched against the wall, clinging her arms around her legs, her head bowed in silent tears. She showed no reaction whatsoever to Lily's presence.

Lily walked over and sat beside her, but not before shutting the door behind her.

"Tuney…look at me."

Petunia didn't move. She was scared of Lily being ashamed of her, or at least angered for not telling her of her sexual orientation.

"Tuney, I don't mind!"

Petunia looked up and saw Lily was crying too, but with a soft smile of comfort on her face.

"Y-you're not…?"

"Not mad or disgusted at you? Petunia, I'm a witch! Who am I to judge you for being different? I'm a little mad that you never came to me about your sexuality…why didn't you?"

"I wasn't fully sure of it myself," replied Petunia. "Carly has always known she was a…a…"

"Lesbian?"

"Yes…but I know how much Daddy hates the idea of it…and I was trying not to be like Carly…there was a time I considered ending our friendship. But she and Millie are all I have at school and around here. The other students still think I'm weird after how I acted in my first year…but they have always been there for me, along with Vernon. He originally felt attracted to me, but I just couldn't see him that way…so he turned to Millie. They're so suited to each other, and I'm happy for them, but that was when I knew that I couldn't picture myself that way with a man, and I confessed my feelings about myself to the only other single girl in our group…Carly."

"And she confided in you about being a lesbian?"

"Yes…she also considered me as a partner…but after we tried out kissing…after a lot of persuading on her part, we both realized that we were best friends, but not in love. But ever since then, we have continued practising kissing with each other, and through Carly, I have realized and am trying to accept…that I am…gay."

Lily cuddled Petunia tightly.

"You have no need to be ashamed of who you are and who you may fall in love with one day," she assured her sister, "Dad is just talking through his arse. He isn't _really_ a homophobe, I'm sure. It's just such a foreign concept to him…but all those things we learned about homosexuality lately…it's becoming more acceptable. I'll bet that by the time you can learn magic, it might even be a common trend. It's people like Carly who can help you and other men and women come out as gay, and I thank her for that. You will never have to hide your true self from me, Tuney. I promise!"

"But why can't Daddy accept it?" sniffled Petunia. "He accepted your magic."

"I don't know, Tuney…but we will get to the bottom of it."

Lily was right. When she was in a mood, people suffered, and she had gotten this terrible, but effective quality from her own mother.

Downstairs in the dining room, Rose Evans was unleashing said fury upon her husband.

"How…DARE you treat your own daughter and her friend that way?! You didn't do this when we found out Lily was a witch! You know Petunia sometimes feels we had favoured Lily over her! HOW DO YOU THINK SHE'LL FEEL NOW WHEN YOU BERATE AND PUNISH HER FOR BEING DIFFERENT WHEN YOU PRAISED AND APPLAUDED LILY FOR BEING DIFFERENT IN HER OWN WAY?! WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH THAT DELUDED MIND OF YOURS, TREVOR REGINALD EVANS?!"

She was practically spitting at him with rage, and Trevor's blind temper was rapidly depleted into shame and fear at his wife's fury and his own stupidity.

"I…I wasn't thinking about that."

"DAMN RIGHT YOU WEREN'T!"

"It's just…we've always been against such things in my time, and throughout the ages."

"Times are changing, Trev! And our daughters just happen to be in the age group where such a thing will be a revolutionary way of life! If Petunia wants to be a…a lesbian, we shouldn't be yelling at her and making her feel hated and disgusting! We should be supporting her through it, just as we did for Lily when we realized what her talents meant!"

Trevor felt very ashamed. What Rose was saying was true, and now he felt awful that he didn't treat Petunia with the same understanding that he had shown Lily.

Rose's temper wavered when she saw how appalled Trevor looked upon her eloquent discourse.

"The only thing I can agree with you in all of this is that Petunia and Carly should not have been going as far as they were when we came in…but beyond that, Trevor, in my eyes, Petunia's done nothing wrong other than exploring who she really is."

Trevor couldn't say anything. He had grown up with these beliefs. He was now starting to realize just how close-minded he had been. It had been easier for him to accept Lily's magic as he had always seen it as a figment of imagination for children stories, and while not real, it was a wonderful philosophy to imagine. But homosexuality had always been real and considered by his generation as unnatural and against nature and God.

But then, so was magic, wasn't it?

"I will apologise to her tonight," he said sadly. "I don't think she will want to look at me right now."

Rose silently agreed and went up to see how Petunia was faring. She was quite happy to see that Lily had beaten her to the mark and was consoling her sister to the best of her ability. Petunia was still sobbing on her shoulder though.

"Oh, sweetheart."

Rose went over to them and cuddled them both, Petunia for her ordeal, and Lily to show her pride at having such a loving, loyal and understanding daughter.

"Petunia…I've just had severe words with your father. He is sorry for how he reacted to what he had seen, and I have made him see that this whole thing you're going through isn't as black and white as he's always believed. He's coming around to the thought that your sexuality is as special as Lily's magic, and if he knows what's good for him, he will continue to do so."

Lily giggled a little at Rose's cheeky wink, but Petunia felt no better.

"He still loves Lily more…"

"No, that's not true, Tuney-"

"Yes, it is. He didn't act this way towards you when you learnt that you're a witch…and as soon as he sees me kissing another girl, he explodes like one of your cauldrons, seals me inside his home and then bans me from seeing my best friend! Where was all this when you told him that you were a witch?! Where were the pitchforks? The torches? The stake?! Why does he hate me so much?!"

"Petunia."

Trevor had peeked in through the door, looking all the more shamefaced, but Petunia turned on him instantly.

"I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"

She ran out of the room and out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

Lily and Rose set off in pursuit, leaving Trevor standing still, staring into the bedroom of his poor little girl, the daughter he had let down so many times and now yet again.

Lily and Rose soon caught up with Petunia and Rose suggested diplomatically that they go and visit Eileen and Severus early to soothe the nerves over an always ready and welcome cup of tea and a homemade cherry scone.

Petunia reluctantly agreed, and the three Evans ladies went off to visit their closest friends and neighbours. But all Petunia could think about was how her father seemed to hate her in those moments of anger, and of Carly's frightened expression when she was kicked out of the Evans residence.

Lily was thinking along the same lines. Did her father still unconsciously favour her over her sister? She prayed that this wasn't the case, but she and Rose shared a look indicating that they both knew that this incident would take a long time to recover from.

 **(Here's Chapter 40! Like I said above, I deeply apologise if this chapter is offensive to anybody. I just wanted to make the reactions as realistic as possible, considering the year and decade this story is set in. I want to make it very clear that I am not in the least bit homophobic. I have a transgender family member and I was among the many who accepted her completely. On that note, I do not expect to see any homophobic comments in the reviews. Such reviews will be reported immediately. If anybody has any requests or suggestions on how I should approach this sub-plot in future, please express them to me via PM as politely as possible! Thank you for reading, and please review!)**


	41. Chapter 41: The Summer Wedding

**Chapter 41: The Summer Wedding**

The summer was passing on, and August had just begun. Severus had been quite surprised to learn of Petunia's sexual orientation. It was yet another difference in this universe compared to the original that he had not seen coming, and this one was the biggest shock yet, but not unpleasantly so.

It explained why Petunia wasn't with Vernon Dursley, whom appeared as pompous as ever when he met him via Lily, Petunia and Millie Quince. Rose ensured that Petunia and Carly could still see each other, but their intimate experimenting was not to continue, due to the compromising situation they had been found in. Carly was very relieved that she and Petunia were still friends and that her friend was unharmed by what appeared to be a tyrannical father, whom had shown repentance for his harsh reactions. Carly still feared Trevor however, and Petunia was showing no sign of forgiveness towards him. Lily and Rose were having great difficulty trying to keep Petunia in the same room as Trevor, and it had taken Eileen and Severus' kind words to help the pair dissuade the elder sister from moving out in her fit of rage that afternoon.

Trevor had tried everything to earn his daughter's forgiveness, such as giving her his blessing to date women, keeping her friendship with Carly and giving her a gift of a ruby bracelet that she had been eyeing through the local jewellery shop window for some months. But she had discarded the bracelet, insisting savagely that jewellery would not buy her forgiveness for Trevor's cruelty and favouritism of Lily. Trevor and Rose kept the bracelet, should Petunia ever reconcile with her father. The only method the pair hadn't used was brute force in making her socialise with Trevor and telling her to 'pack this feud in' as Trevor's dictating actions that day had mostly been the cause of Carly's fear and Petunia's hatred. The last thing they needed was for Petunia to hate her mother too.

Lily was also caught up in the middle of the family's estrangement. She too had tried to help Petunia see sense, but the net result was Petunia thinking Lily was taking her father's side because she was the favourite. It took a good deal of persuading for Lily to reassure Petunia that this wasn't the case.

"Tuney, I just hate seeing our family broken up like this. I sometimes still wonder how life would have been for us if Sev had never tried to help you learn magic one day. I still fear that you hate me for having magic naturally."

"I don't," whispered Petunia.

"And I don't hate you for liking girls…but Daddy hates himself for how he treated you and Carly. He hates himself for making you feel unloved. Mummy still feels guilty about that too."

"I don't hate Mummy. I only hate him."

"But that hate is ripping the family apart, Tuney," sobbed Lily, tears beginning to fall.

"He should never have scared me and Carls. He was going to entomb me in here…what if you and Mummy were on his side? Would you have all locked me away, like a leper, and starved me until I was forced to date men?"

"You know full well that we would never do that!"

"You and Mummy may not have, but Dad…I really don't know what to think anymore, Lils!"

Petunia burst into tears, shaking all over.

"Dad said he loved me just as much as he loves you…and yet, he sent me to my room, he was disgusted at the sight of me, and all because he saw me kissing another girl. He may have gone further, if not for Mummy. I don't trust him, Lily, I cannot. He's not the same man I thought he was…a loving dad, a kind man, a fair man! He…he hurt me so deeply…and I can only ever hate a man who makes his daughter feel so…vile and wretched."

Lily hugged her feeling worse than ever. Petunia was suffering just as badly as Trevor was with this whole breakup. She clearly felt as though she didn't have a father anymore, and unless Lily and Rose could find a way to clear the air, Trevor may now have lost a daughter.

Severus was worried too, when Lily visited him at the park that early evening, where the sun was still up, and the mellowness was setting in as it slowly began to make its descent.

Lily recounted her last conversation with Petunia to Severus, whom paled.

Could it be that Petunia's bitterness and hatred for Lily would now be set upon her father for life, just as it had with Lily all of the original Petunia's life?

Then Severus had a thought.

He was due to reunite with Lily Potter soon via the Resurrection Stone. Their last conversation had been disheartening and they had parted ways on bad terms. He almost feared talking to her again, but he still needed his best friend for comfort, not to mention for her information on the Horcruxes.

That investigation and mission against Voldemort had been at a standstill ever since he and Dumbledore destroyed the ring and the diadem. The only breakthrough since then had been Lily Potter's recruitment of Ariana and Helena in the search for the remaining Horcruxes.

"Sev?"

"Sorry, Lils. I was thinking of how awful it'd be if Petunia never forgives your dad, though his reaction _was_ pretty bad."

"Not as bad as your…"

Lily froze, ashamed.

"As my dad? You're right, and I still don't forgive him, but I still worry about your dad. He'll never forgive himself, never mind Petunia forgiving him if this carries on."

Lily exhaled at Severus' lack of offence.

"I know…I don't think I could bear it if they stay this way."

"On the bright side, wedding dress shopping with my mum will likely cheer you both up."

The ladies were going dress shopping the following day in Diagon Alley and in London respectively.

"Yeah. That'll be something," replied Lily, with a small smile.

The two friends cuddled on the grass as the sun set, and parted ways; Severus to dwell on thoughts of Petunia and of Lily Potter, while Lily dwelled on her broken family and her upcoming wedding-based events with her mother, sister and Eileen.

Lily Potter was also dreading her upcoming visit to Severus. Her reaction to Severus' outburst had not been pleasant. She had been angered by his continued hatred towards the original Marauders, and she even called him an 'ungrateful dunderhead' to James, Sirius and Dumbledore himself.

Sirius was the only one who agreed with Lily, and he had suggested that she no longer bothers herself with the 'snivelling git.' James and Dumbledore, however, knew full well that forgiveness had never been in Severus' nature, except in the case of Lily herself.

"Time will heal those wounds, Lily," assured James. "Wait till he and the other Lily get together, marry, have children of their own, a life together. And with the new versions of us as his friends…he _will_ finally heal from his old wounds and let bygones be bygones."

Lily wasn't so sure, and even Dumbledore was reflecting on words that he had exchanged with Harry; _'Sometimes, the wounds run too deep for the healing._ '

"I am not as sure as you are, James," he said reflectively. "And if I may say so…Severus did have a point."

Lily was also pondering this in her head.

Severus had been correct in several aspects.

Pettigrew did die a coward and his death was justified; one small flinch of mercy and regret was not equal to the lives he had sacrificed and the ones he had taken, such as Cedric Diggory and those people he had killed just to conceal his own survival.

Remus had lied to protect his friends and had been nothing short of a coward to protect his own popularity with his friends. While that was worthy of pity, being so insecure as to believe his only friends would abandon him, it still did not justify what Severus had to endure to save his own hide. James and Lily hadn't been separated in death, and James did get forgiveness more easily than Severus ever did. Severus' hatred for James was also well founded as he had led those attacks on him and manipulated his privacy via the Map and the Cloak, not to mention playing a part in ruining the life with Lily that Severus had always wanted.

And if there was one thing that Lily did agree with Severus on…was that Sirius did deserve punishment for nearly causing his murder. He may not have earned twelve years in Azkaban, but he still never got the arm of the law for the crime he _did_ commit. Even if he was given mere detentions for the rest of his education, it was better than the minimal punishment Dumbledore did give him and the praise he gave to James for 'saving' Severus. But Lily knew full well that James was not so much saving Severus, as saving both Sirius and Remus from the repercussions of wilful and unknowing murder.

What made Severus' statement about Sirius all the more justified was that Sirius still to this day showed no sign of true repentance, and still hated Severus with all his being. This hatred and conflict were what strained her friendship with him, and even James couldn't heal the rift, not so long as Sirius hated Severus, and for as long as Lily felt obliged to help him through his new life.

"But I haven't helped you lately," she muttered bitterly to herself. "I just don't seem to know…how to make things up to you anymore. What if you die fighting Voldemort before you and the new me can be happy together?"

The wedding day was soon upon them.

All the guests were attending at Prince Manor, where the wedding was to take place. A Ministry official was there to bond the happy couple in a magical vow. Eileen had not had a wizarding wedding with Tobias and intended to do so now, as she was certain, more certain that with Tobias, that Robin was her true love and she would not regret marrying him in the least.

The guests included people who worked with Eileen and Robin in the past, including a disgruntled Aberforth Dumbledore, whom looked like he'd sooner be at home tending his goats. The other guests were Severus' friends at Hogwarts, except for Sirius, Regulus and Melody. The Blacks were prohibited from attending such a scandalous affair, and Melody was ill with a stomach bug. Their parents were also there. The Lupins looked out of place, considering they hid a lot and did not often bring their son out into society, let alone social occasions. Also in attendance was Professor Dumbledore, secretly to give Severus the Resurrection Stone. He and Aberforth were not interacting. McGonagall and some other Hogwarts staff members were there too and so were Eileen and Robin's staff members from the Gobstones Inn. The friends all sat cheerily, waiting with Robin, in his finest navy suit for Eileen to appear on the Manor grounds with her father, whom was giving her away, along with Severus the page boy, and the bridesmaids, Eileen's closest female friend, Rose Evans, and Lily and Petunia as well.

Severus felt silly in a blue suit, fit for a Muggle stylist, but he was keeping quiet for his mother's sake. Lily and Petunia were wearing lavender dresses, Rose was wearing a traditional bridesmaids' dress that she worn on another friend's wedding some years ago, and was helping the blushing bride, Eileen, style her hair for the big event.

Eileen looked radiant. Her white wedding gown complimented her curves and her hair, with Rose's help and some magic was perfected to how she wanted, a beauteous bun with highlights of green magically placed in, giving a satisfying effect to her beauty. She also wore emerald earrings to go with the hair, and her father had lent her a necklace of pearls that he had bestowed upon Desdemona for their wedding.

"You look so beautiful, sweetheart," said Septimus fondly.

"How could she not?" chuckled Rose. "She has me to help."

"Mum!" moaned Lily and Petunia in unison.

Eileen and Severus chuckled.

Just then, a beautiful Patronus shaped like a Red Kite flew in, much to Petunia and Lily's awe and admiration. Rose almost fainted as it hovered over Septimus and spoke in Desdemona's voice.

"The Ministry officiator is here, we're all seated and ready. Not sure how long he'll wait."

Septimus sent a quick reply, saying "We'll be there in ten minutes."

His Patronus was shaped like a giant falcon.

Severus smiled. If there was any proof needed for his grandparents' reformed natures, it was the fact that they could cast corporeal and beautiful Patronuses such as those.

"Nearly done, I hope, Mrs Evans?"

"Yep, just about done!"

"I look perfect, right? I only want the very best for Robin! I was never good enough for Tob-!"

"Forget about him, Mum!" snapped Severus curtly. "That man is nothing but a memory now, a bad dream long forgotten! Today is about you and Robin! You were perfect long before today! Let's prove that to them all now!"

Eileen cuddled her son, trying not to cry and spoil the make-up that Rose had applied.

"Okay, honey. You're right! Let's go!"

The six of them departed from the Manor and proceeded out towards the grounds, where a red carpet was laid out, ready for Eileen to tread upon and follow leading to her future husband.

There he stood, straight, resplendent and very happy.

Robin grinned as he watched Eileen approach slowly and gracefully to the music provided by the more talented House Elves. Behind her, Rose held up her dress. Severus, Lily and Petunia brought up the rear, winking to their friends. Petunia was saddened that she couldn't invite Carly or her other friends, but they still had to be in the dark about her sister's magical world. She ignored the look her father was giving her, remorse and pride for her.

Septimus was arm in arm with Eileen until they reached Robin, and he took her hand and placed it in his.

"Look after her, Kennedy."

"I will, sir," replied Robin confidently.

The happy couple held hands as the Ministry officiator began his speeches.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered on this special summer's day, to bond Robin Jacob Kennedy with Eileen Desdemona Prince in matrimony. Is there anybody here who objects to this union?"

Nobody did so, but Severus caught James offering Rebecca to do so with a cheeky smirk. He vowed to cup his head once he had a chance.

"Very well, we shall proceed."

As the speeches went on, Severus took everyone in. All of Robin and Eileen's respective colleagues and friends smiling broadly, Dumbledore beaming, his brother grimacing, Desdemona wiping her joyful eyes with a handkerchief, her husband beside her, pulling her head to his shoulder with a happy expression on his face, the softest look he had ever displayed. Petunia and Lily stood behind Eileen while Severus and the best man were on Robin's side. Petunia and Lily looked dreamy, as though they were imagining their own weddings, and it brought to Severus' mind of the possibility of he and Lily going through this very same process one day. He smiled happily at the thought.

Just then, the official's next words brought him back to earth.

"I understand you have your own personal vows."

Eileen was addressed to go first.

"Robin…I have been through a lot in my life…more than you'll ever know. But my family saved me in the end, me and my son, and I thought life couldn't get any better once I felt freedom shine on me again. But then I met you, and that same shine hit me again. You have made me happier than I ever thought possible, and I cannot wait to spend the remainder of my life making you feel just as happy."

She slipped the ring that Rose had handed her onto Robin's finger.

Robin then recited his own speech, after taking the ring handed to him by the best man.

"Eileen, I never really thought I fit in well enough to find love in the Wizarding World. I was always looked down upon as lesser for being Muggle-born. Then you and I met, and everything made sense to me. I am happy to be your light, your love and now, your husband. And I vow to forever love you, to be the perfect husband you always wanted, and a good father to your son. I love you both and am proud to be a part of your lives."

He slipped the ring on her finger and they looked back to the officiator.

He was weaving his wand around Eileen and Robin's now ringed fingers. A red entanglement of magical energy surrounded and wreathed around the hands as they were bonded in matrimonial union.

"Do you, Eileen Prince, take Robin Kennedy, to be your lawfully bonded and wedded husband, in sickness and in health, vowing to love each other until death do you part, and beyond to the next great adventure?"

Severus felt a pang, just before Eileen replied with, "I do."

Did Lily make that same vow when she married James Potter in the old universe? Is that another reason she continued to love James over him, even in death?

"Robin Kennedy, do you take Eileen Prince to be your lawfully bonded and wedded wife, in sickness and in health, vowing to love each other until death do you part, and beyond to the next great adventure?"

Robin beamed at the sight of Eileen's teary, happy eyes.

"I do."

The officiator waved his wand and the red entanglement turned white, delved into the skins of their joined hands and disappeared from view.

"By the power vested in me by the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot, cleared by Minister Bagnold, I pronounce you bonded and wedded husband and wife."

Before he could say the five traditional words, Robin pulled his new wife into the most passionate kiss that Severus had ever seen. Eileen melted into the kiss and wrapped her arms around her new husband.

Everybody clapped, cheered and some cried, particularly Petunia, Rose and Desdemona. Even Septimus wiped his eye conspicuously.

Severus liked the sight of that especially, seconded only by the pure happiness in his mother's eyes as she became Mrs Robin Kennedy.

Not long after that, Severus walked with his mother back towards the Manor, where a huge banquet awaited them and their guests, and the ballroom was prepared for the reception party to celebrate the nuptials.

As they walked up, the guests, led by the best man, threw confetti in the air, as he shouted simultaneously, "TO MR AND MRS KENNEDY!"

Septimus and Desdemona embraced Eileen happily, muttering privately how proud they were of her. Severus then did something he never saw himself doing with his own father; he wrapped his arms around Robin, fully accepting him as his new stepfather. Robin almost teared up with joy and pride.

Lily's heart melted at the sight. Severus had come a long way since they had first met that day in the playground at Cokeworth.

"Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Kennedy," said James as he approached with his parents.

He slipped past as his parents gave their own blessings to the happy couple, and joined Severus, Lily and Petunia.

"That was great, guys!" he said cheerily.

He had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No, don't even think of pulling a prank during the reception!" snapped Severus.

"Darn it!" grumbled James mockingly.

"Let's go in! The party's gonna begin!" said Lily, shaking her head and linking arms with Severus.

Severus almost turned beet red at Lily's contact with him.

"I want us to dance today," she whispered.

Severus blushed more and nodded in consent.

The wedding prompted Lily to be more courageous, like a real Gryffindor, and set the ball rolling for her and Severus to begin a relationship. She was done waiting. Severus may not be ready, but he may never be while she did nothing to encourage him, so she was now going to start today with Phase 1: Get Severus to dance with her.

The wedding banquet was a success. The Prince Elves cooked everything from Shepherd's Pie to honey-roasted partridges. There was something for everyone and thankfully, James didn't pull off any cheeky stunts as he had hinted. Nobody's hair turned blue, no-one starting breathing fire and not one child started crying because their napkin started calling them harsh names.

Severus was asked to give a speech after Septimus and the best man gave theirs. They both showed pride in Eileen and Robin, though the best man had told some traditional jokes at his friend's expense. He felt cornered when he was asked to conduct in public speaking but felt he must do his best for his mother's sake.

"Erm…everybody, um…I am Eileen Pr-uh, Kennedy's s-son…and I just wanted…to say a few words to show how happy I am for my mum…and Robin. I love my mother so much because she has done more for me than I can ever even begin to repeat. She has been there for me through thick, thin and beyond…and I can never thank her enough. The least I could do was to be there for her on her special day, and to get out of this chair and stutter out this s-speech."

There were some chuckles at that.

"And I intend to spend all my days reminding myself to never take my new family for granted, and I will always be there for you, Mum, as you always were for me. I love you, Mum, and I quite like you too, to an extent, Robin."

More laughter followed that and then some kind applause. Severus smiled softly and sat down, and he spotted Lily smiling at him softly, winking at him with pride.

Not long after the speeches and the food, the party began in the ballroom. Eileen and Robin led the first dance, and were quickly followed by Septimus and Desdemona, followed by the Potters, the Longbottoms, including Frank and Alice, whom Lily owled to invite, and to Lily's surprise, as she hadn't spotted her earlier, Andromeda Black and whom she assumed was her boyfriend, Ted Tonks. They looked blissfully happy together.

"Hey, Lils!" called Andromeda after the first number ended.

"Hey!" greeted Lily pleasantly.

"Ted Tonks," said the Muggle-born partner politely, holding out his hand.

Lily took it and introduced herself officially along with Severus.

After a chat, Andromeda dropped some news on Lily, Severus, James, Rebecca, Frank, Alice, Quincey, Mary and Peter, who also attended the wedding.

"Ted and I are marrying next month…but sadly, we won't be having many guests due to Hogwarts term starting, and the fact that this will be a scandalous marriage…my family disowned me, of course."

She wiped a tear at the thought, but Ted held her close in a one-armed embrace.

"But it'll be worth it," she persisted, "and Cissy doesn't hate me. She said she'll correspond with me once we were back at Hogwarts and will try to attend the wedding."

"Well, that's good news!" said Severus optimistically.

"It is," smiled Andromeda, "a close second to the news we both received yesterday." She squeezed Ted's hand.

"What news is that?" asked James naively, but Lily and Rebecca looked ready to squeal in delight.

"Are you?" asked Rebecca excitedly.

"Yes! I'm pregnant!"

"Oh! Oh, wow!" cried Severus.

"Yeah, like…"

"Woah!" gasped Quincey.

Everyone offered sincere congratulations to the pair, and then Rebecca pulled James onto the dance floor to celebrate.

"May I have your hand in a dance too?" asked Lily, offering her hand to Severus.

"Yes, you may," said Severus after a brief pause.

On their way over to the dance floor, Dumbledore quickly approached them and quickly shook Severus' hand joyously.

"Congratulations to you and your mother, Mr Prince," he said delightedly, then he swept off again to sit next to Professor McGonagall and Aberforth.

"Odd, for Dumbledore," shrugged Lily, as she pulled Severus onto the floor and placed his hand on her waist.

Before she made him move his other hand, Severus slipped what Dumbledore had pressed into his palm into his pocket; the Resurrection Stone.

He pushed the thought of talking to Lily Potter out of his mind for now. He was in Heaven as it was. He was dancing with Lily Evans, and he could see smitten eyes, those perfect green eyes looking at him with adoration and love.

Eileen and Robin looked at them with knowing looks of joy, as they continued their own slow dance in the centre of the ballroom, admired by all.

Rose looked at the pair with a mixture of happiness and hesitation, knowing full well that her youngest daughter was in love.

Trevor on the other hand, only had his eye on Petunia, whom was unfortunately, still avoiding him, giving Peter a brief dance, as he had no partner with him.

Rose put her hand over his.

"We'll get through this, honey. Just leave her be for now and let Eileen have her special day without any issues."

Her husband nodded morosely.

The party carried on very late into the night, and it soon ended with Eileen and Robin away on their honeymoon, Severus hugging his friends goodnight, Dumbledore and co Flooing back to their own homes, and Septimus and Desdemona offering for the Evans family to stay the night, which they agreed to do.

"Straight to bed, kids," said Desdemona.

"Okay," they said in unison.

Petunia hugged Lily and nodded kindly to Severus, before entering her spare room. The pair lingered for a moment, smiled at each other and cuddled.

"I really enjoyed tonight," whispered Lily.

"Me too," replied Severus.

Lily knew better than to try and kiss Severus now. He was in an emotional state as it was due to his mother's wedding and the social interactions he hadn't been entirely comfortable with, such as his speech and the dancing. So, she simply kept the cuddle going until they both felt awkward.

"Good night, Sev."

"Good night, Lils."

The best friends split up with that, and entered their bedrooms, sleeping happy and content, dreaming of what the future had in store for them both.

 **Here's Chapter 41! THEY GOT MARRIED! And now, things are beginning to develop between Sev and Lily. Sorry, I forgot about Tonks being born when Remus was 13, so I've altered it to be when he's 15. I'm not entirely sure yet if I will keep the canonicity of their relationship yet. Please review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Chapter 42 coming soon!**


	42. Chapter 42: Professor Norton

**Chapter 42: Professor Norton**

Severus was sat in his bedroom at Prince Manor. Septimus and Desdemona had gone to the Gobstones Inn for a meal and to keep an eye on the staff management whilst Eileen and Robin were in Crete for their honeymoon. Lily and her family had gone home, but Lily promised to meet with him at the playground upon his return to Cokeworth. She took advantage of his absence by inviting Mary, Marlene and Rebecca round for the week and they and Petunia had slumber parties. To be on the safe side, Lily assured Petunia that all of her Hogwarts friends were taken – by boys. Fortunately, her sister saw the funny side of her concern.

Severus was sat wondering if Petunia and Trevor had patched things up yet, if Remus was managing at the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, and if he should use the item currently in his hand.

Dumbledore had given him the Stone at the wedding party, but he was unsure if he could face his old love after the dispute they had. He didn't want to face her when she said he had to let his hate go. He didn't want to feel the rejection of being unimportant when Lily defended Black's actions in school, and James' precious soulmate connection with her, that crushed his own hopes and dreams.

Would Lily even want to know him after he insulted each one of her best friends who replaced him, and her husband, even though he helped Severus gain his second chance at life?

He doubted it, but…

"I've never given up on Lily Evans Potter before, and I don't intend to start now…even if we were only ever meant to be friends-turned-enemies."

He turned the Stone thrice in his hand and shut his eyes out of fear of looking into her transparent green eyes.

"Sev?"

Her voice didn't sound indifferent or contemptuous. But Severus still could not look at her. He still felt guilty for it all, not just for their argument, but also for making her what she is: a shadow, a spectre…a dead woman. She was only 21 years-old…

"Sev, please…look at me."

Severus inhaled deeply, unable to deny her what she wanted. He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Hey…"

"Please don't feel guilty," she whispered with tears gleaming in her eyes.

"How can I not? Potter and yourself, along with Dumbledore got me here. I'm alive because of you three and the Higher Ones…and all I can think about is the bad stuff. I still hate Potter, and Dumbledore to an extent. I especially hate Black too. I have no right! I have a second life, a new chance and hope of being loved…and I couldn't do the same for you. I couldn't bring you back…and I throw my chance back in your face by expressing my hatred for those you hold dearest."

"Sev…you have every right!"

"No-"

"In some respects!"

Severus looked at her in confusion.

"Everything you have had go through your mind related to us is true," said Lily, with tears pouring down her cheeks. "I know we agreed to stop feeling guilt and remember that we are still and always will be best friends…but it's so damn hard sometimes."

Severus didn't remove his eyes from hers.

"If I hadn't given in to peer pressure and abandoned you, refusing to accept your apologies, however much I could see you meant them, you may have had something to hang on to, other than Voldemort."

"That might not be true," admitted Severus, "you told me that even if you had forgiven me, you still would have fallen for Potter. I just know deep down that the minute I would have found out that you were dating and marrying the boy who ruined my Hogwarts years…I would have signed up to Voldemort instantly. I would have wanted revenge…our friendship was never enough for me, Lily…I was too selfish for that. You were the only light in my life…and Potter took that light away from me. Voldemort would have been my only way out, my only hope of getting…ha…justice!"

Lily was trembling, even in her unsolid form, it was clear that her guilt kept her down to earth beyond even the Stone's power, the guilt still taunting her immortal soul, and Severus'.

"So, you think you were doomed from the start?"

"Yes, I knew it the instant you told me that you still would have chosen Potter as your soulmate. It broke me in more ways than just your rejection, Lily. In that moment of confession, you revealed to me that my fate would have turned out the same…only that my betrayal of you would have been all the more devastating."

Lily convulsed.

"Your love for me was always your undoing, Sev…and I am so sorry that I would not have been able to save you."

"And I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough to resist the dark side…I'm sorry you never lived to raise your son and live your life in the new world you loved so much."

"I don't know how, Sev…but we must let it go."

"I cannot, Lils. I may be able to let go of my love for you…to an extent, if I can find happiness with this new Lily…but I cannot let go of my past life…it made me what I am now, able to see my mistakes and change them. But I don't think myself mistaken to still hate the Marauders. And although I will always respect Dumbledore…he was a manipulative old coot who used my guilt and thrust even more upon me by ordering me to murder him…"

"It wasn't in cold blood," defended Lily witheringly.

"No, but he knew it could endanger my soul…I had never killed whilst in Voldemort's service until then…I wanted to show you and all those others that I was not as far gone as you all believed. But he ruined that too, lied to me that I was acting to protect your son, only to reveal that he always planned for the boy to die…and then he had the audacity to plead with me in that final moment…and yet still using me in his plan, making his pleas for death look like pleas for life!"

"Sev…I'm sorry…"

"And I can't stop hating the Marauders…I'm sorry, Lily, but I just can't! One tried to kill me, one tried to eat me, one took you from me and humiliated me…and the other played a part in your death."

Lily's tears fell freely, but silently.

"I know, Sev…I agree with you in Sirius and Peter's cases…"

"You do?"

"I will never forgive Peter for selling us out…if I blame anyone other than Voldemort for my death and leaving Harry an orphan, it's Peter. Not you, Peter! He got what he deserved that day at Malfoy Manor…a slow, frightening death."

"Like me…"

"No, you didn't deserve your death!" sobbed Lily.

"I did and I don't regret it. If I lived, I'd have been pitied but still unloved…if not hated and unloved, rotting in Azkaban."

Lily nodded before continuing herself.

"And Sirius should have been punished more for what he did to you…I don't think Dumbledore could have pulled off expelling him without exposing Remus…"

"As if he would have expelled him anyway," muttered Severus coldly.

"…but he could have done so much more to him. He could have put him in detention until graduation! He could have suspended him, or even put him in the dungeons for a month! I don't care…he shouldn't have gotten away with it, and he and James should not have lorded it over you."

"But they did…and I like to think I paid that unjust debt back in your boy's first year…the first of god-knows-how many times I had to save him and protect him. That act of muttering a counter curse on his broomstick was so…satisfying, not because I was saving a life, but because I felt the life debt that I owed your forsaken husband cleansing itself off of me…it even stopped my feeling unhappy that your boy beat my House's team in that game. The feeling of no longer being in that arrogant dick's debt was…almost euphoric, the closest thing to happiness I had known since my days with you at school."

Lily felt bittersweet. Severus recounted a time of happiness in his life, but at the same time was speaking so callously about her husband and son, revealing the large space of time without happiness he had gone through between their fifth year and Harry's first term, and the bitterness of being indebted to James Potter, something that she agreed that James didn't really earn. He was saving two others, not the actual person he physically stopped from being killed or becoming a werewolf. James hadn't been playing the hero, as Harry had so often done…he was saving his own and his friends' own skins. And Severus paid the price ultimately.

"I wish your life had been better, Sev," she said sadly.

"And I wish your life had lasted…it makes one feel that we were both doomed the moment we met."

"I don't regret knowing you, Severus!"

"Nor I you…but it doesn't change the fact that we lost everything because of the other."

"I'm sorry."

"I am too."

"But not to James and Remus?"

"Never…Lupin nearly ate me."

"He couldn't have helped that! He wasn't in control!"

"Fine! But he was in control all those times I was bullied or attacked four on one! He chose to let me go through that, never taking responsibility for himself or his friends, not even when he had the authority to stop them and threaten them with house point deduction or detention…because he was too much of a coward!"

Lily could only agree here. What Severus was saying was true. Remus did throw him under the bus by letting his friends punish him for existing...all because of his unstable condition and the fear of his friends abandoning and outing him, not that they would have done.

"But he helped you protect Harry."

"And lost me some decent recognition…expected me to keep quiet about his condition after continuing to belittle me at the same time! He even humiliated me with the Longbottom boy's boggart. The git was lucky I continued making the Wolfsbane Potion for him!"

"You were no better, constantly trying to out him to the students, then putting him out of a job in the end!"

Severus stopped the argument.

"And I know full well that you still won't forgive James…but please…if you loved me, Sev, please be happy that I knew love before I died and afterwards. And please don't think that I completely sided with him after death. I quietly loathed his lies for years and we only truly buried the hatchet after you met the new me. I promise you that I am not against you…but I do want you to forgive them, as I have done…maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow…but one day…please."

Severus looked at Lily deeply. He could never deny her anything she wanted, but this request was the possible exception.

Forgiving James Potter and his cronies was something beyond his comprehension, and worse, it made him sick to his stomach. But then, so did the idea of letting his best friend down. There was no win here.

"I just…feel that…"

"What, Sev?"

"I feel that if I let it go and forgive them…it would be like they won…that they got away with it all over again. That I walked away without justice, with my proverbial tail tucked between my legs."

"Sev…you've won. You had an awful life, yes, but you came out the better man. You saved so many lives and only took the one, out of that one's orders and as a mercy killing rather than a cold-blooded one. You have a whole new life in front of you, a life where you can have everything you ever dreamed of, and don't tell me it's just a chance now. I have seen so clearly that she is in love with you, and you with her. That dance was so beautiful, it reminded me of my wedding dance with James. Anyone would've thought it was your wedding day, not your mother's! Forgiving my husband and his friends doesn't make it better for them and worse for you, Sev! It doesn't make them win, nor does it make you weak. It means you can finally be free of the sins and bad memories of the past, or at the very least, accept them and learn to be happy at last."

Severus listened intently to her desperate but valid monologue. Lily was right…she had always been right, with only a few self-confessed exceptions.

"I will try, Lils…but it won't be easy."

"At least learn to forgive them before you die, yeah? I don't want all this back and forth, one side to the next for all eternity."

"I promise not to put you through that when the time comes, Lily," he said.

"And I know to trust you and your promises, or you'll be in big trouble!" teased his best friend.

Severus chuckled softly.

A short while later, the Stone was dropped once more.

Severus was daydreaming about the events following the wedding and the chat with Lily Potter. The summer had passed by rapidly. They had all had such a good time off. After returning home to his newly whole family, Severus spent quite a lot of time with his mother and Robin, and the latter took them on many trips, Muggle and Wizarding alike. A favourite of Severus' was when Robin took them uptown to the river which flowed through Cokeworth, only to a point where the industrialisation did not take its toll on the water. He took them there on a fishing trip, and the peacefulness of the pastime was what attracted Severus to it most of all. He couldn't for the life of him envisage even the humbler James Potter of this world being able to partake in the art of angling. He and Lily also spent more time together upon his return home and he also caught up with her girlfriends just before they returned to their own homes. He and Lily visited James at his home for a weekend and he persuaded them to take a flight around his family's sizable estate, but he couldn't get Severus to play Quidditch. Quincey also came to visit on the final week, but most of what he had to talk about was how he and Mary had been to Diagon Alley and a Muggle cinema on dates over the summer. He also begrudged Lily teasingly for dragging her away from him on that one week that Severus was at Prince Manor. The final weekend involved the Evans family and the Prince family dining at the Gobstones Inn on the Saturday, and then the Manor itself one last time before term started once more. It was a jolly weekend, and Severus and Lily were getting closer and closer. The only downside was that Petunia, though able to stay within sight of her father, still wasn't talking to him.

The thought of watching Lily plead with Petunia one last time to patch things up with Trevor before Christmas on Platform Nine and Three Quarters was what was going through Severus' mind as he leaned his head against the compartment window on the train back to Hogwarts.

Then Lily brought him back to earth.

"Sev!"

"W-what?"

"Are you or are you not going to join Peter's team in the Gobstones Club?"

"Yeah, sure. I may have even inherited my mother's skill," he said absently.

Lily smiled, as did Peter. He was keen to have closer connections in the House Union. He had realized how singled out he was when he saw that everybody had someone to be with at the wedding of Eileen and Robin Kennedy. He was given a pity dance by Lily's sister, whom he had learned that evening was gay. He had decided that night that he would try harder to be more active in the group and be a friend worth remembering. He was a good member of the Gobstones Club, and upon learning casually at the wedding that Eileen had been a champion, decided to proposition Severus into joining him as a partner in the team. He was happy that his first effort had succeeded.

The jolly chatter amongst the new fourth years in the Union continued until they reached Hogwarts, clad in their school robes. They waved to Hagrid as he guided the first years, and then boarded the carriages. Severus and Lily shared theirs with the cosy looking Quincey and Mary.

Lily looked quite enviously at Mary, her head nuzzled into her boyfriend's neck and shoulder. She hoped that she and Severus would be acting that way before Christmas time.

Half an hour later, they were all settled into the Great Hall, sat at their respective tables. Severus chatted amiably with Quincey, Nora and Elizabeth, whilst Lily and Mary caught up with Marlene and Rebecca.

The Sorting was carried out, though the Hat's song seemed to be foreshadowing something, and Severus was worried. He didn't recall one of those songs happening until his final year at Hogwarts, but he did not fear it as he was amongst the wannabe Death Eaters that the Hat had been warning the students of at the time.

Lily looked to him concernedly and his lips drew into a thin line as he nodded in response.

Dumbledore rose to give his usual speeches. His last announcement caught Severus' attention once again.

"Owing to Professor Murdoch only agreeing to stay for a year and his unfortunate accident that broke his hip, I wish to introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Norton!"

It wasn't the fact that Murdoch had an accident that brought up Severus' attention, (on the last week of term, Murdoch missed a trick step in the staircase whilst trying to chastise a Slytherin student for trying to assault Zeon Gardner the caretaker with a Slug-Eating Jinx and fell down, breaking his hip and forced to pull out a week early), it was the name of the new professor.

Severus looked up to see Norton, a man with short blonde hair, looked to be in his thirties and smiled grimly at the students before sitting down again, between Flitwick and Sprout.

Severus was worried and decided to speak to Dumbledore as soon as the feast was over.

After a satisfactory meal, the students went up to bed, and Severus told Quincey and his fellow Ravenclaws that he was just going to use a bathroom as he passed it. As soon as the sounds of his friends' retreats to the common room were vacant, Severus dashed to the Headmaster's office.

After the usual 'Enter', Severus greeted Dumbledore.

"Not here to see Mrs Potter already, Mr Prince?"

"No, sir, I'm just concerned about your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," said Severus.

"What concerns do you have?"

"Professor Norton wasn't my teacher the last time round," explained Severus, "A Professor Hawkes was."

"Yes, I was originally going to appoint a Mr Samuel Hawkes," said Dumbledore with a thoughtful gleam in his eye that Severus didn't like the look of, "but sadly, he had to pull out of the position due to an unfortunate, uh, incident. Explosion in his own Potions laboratory. He's still recovering in St Mungo's."

"You don't think it was an accident, Professor?"

"No, Severus. Mr Hawkes was strongly against Voldemort and said so, and what you say makes me concerned that Voldemort had more than one reason to get rid of Hawkes."

"Do you think Professor Norton is actually related to this?"

"He didn't apply for the position until a couple of days after Hawkes' indisposition," replied Dumbledore gravely. "It's just possible."

"So what shall we do about it, Headmaster?"

"There's not much we can do, Severus. There's no-one else to take Professor Norton's place, and we have no proof that he is in league with Voldemort. So, in the meantime, I suggest we, or rather I, should keep a close eye on our new teacher and carry on as normal. You and your Union should keep your distance from the man until I can assure you and myself that nothing is amiss."

Severus wasn't happy with this answer but knew that Dumbledore couldn't offer a better resolution at this juncture.

"Yes, sir."

"Now off to bed, Mr Prince. Sleep well."

"You too, sir."

But Dumbledore knew that he had a few restless nights ahead of him.

Severus had told Quincey that he had been delayed coming back to the common room due to Peeves flooding the bathroom and he had offered to help Zeus Gardner use their magic to clean up the mess.

But that lie was out of both of their minds as they sat together in Defence Against the Dark Arts that afternoon.

Severus had casually led Quincey to the back of the room, so that they wouldn't stand out to Professor Norton, whom seemed fairly indifferent to all of the students as they entered. But there was still something about the man that made Severus feel ill at ease. What it was about this man that disturbed him so, he did not know, but nevertheless, he was disturbed.

"Today, we shall be learning about the Unforgivable Curses," said Norton.

This sparked a strong air of unease and anticipation. Severus narrowed his eyes suspiciously as Norton faced the blackboard, listing the numbers 1, 2 and 3. The Unforgivables should not have been taught until sixth year. The only other time the subject had been taught to fourth years was in the old universe was when a Death Eater was teaching the class in disguise.

"Who can name one of these?"

Half of the classes' hands rose.

"You, Baxter?"

"There's the Imperius Curse, sir."

"Indeed, a curse that can allow the caster to control another person's actions for an indefinite amount of time," said Norton as he wrote 'Imperius' next to the chalked 1.

"Will you be demonstrating, sir?" asked a Hufflepuff nervously.

"No, indeed! You're too young!"

The students all looked relieved to hear that.

Ah, well, that's something, thought Severus.

"The second curse?"

Quincey answered this one with a grim expression.

"The Cruciatus Curse, sir," he said.

"Yes, the curse designed to torture. The curse that can physically cripple and mentally unhinge those subjected to it."

Norton wrote 'Cruciatus' next to the 2.

"And lastly?"

Severus didn't want to say, partly out of his abhorrence of the curse, and partly to be inconspicuous around the enigmatic professor.

"You there, boy?"

Severus realized Norton was addressing him, which sparked his suspicions and uneasiness more.

"The…Killing Curse, sir," he said at last with strong reluctance.

"The incantation being…anyone?"

"Avada K-kedavra," said several students nervously and quietly.

"Yes, the curse that true to its name kills the victim. Straight, simple, quick, instant, possibly painful, but of course, nobody's lived to tell the tale."

There was a terrible gleam in Norton's eyes as he said this and Severus knew, just knew that the strange new teacher had a deep, dark secret.

And, by Dumbledore, quite literally, he was going to find out what it was one way or another.

 **Here's Chapter 42, and slightly longer than I anticipated it would be, but normally, that's a good thing! Quite a lot happened in this chapter and I hope it is received well. What do you all think of Professor Norton? And of Severus and Lily's exchange? Chapter 43 coming soon, apologies for some long sentences. Please review! Thanks for reading!**


	43. Chapter 43: The First Halloween Since

**Chapter 43: The First Halloween Since**

Norton's lesson on the Unforgivable Curses fortunately did not provide demonstrations, but he wished for the class to study it deeply and he seemed to show some sickening liking to their studying and cringing over the details of the Cruciatus Curse in particular. Severus was not the least bit afraid of any of them, as he had suffered torture at Voldemort's hand many times and lived to tell about it to Dumbledore. He experienced the Imperius Curse once before under Bellatrix's hand, as she was jealous and untrusting of him, but he was able to use his Occlumency to resist. And although he never died under the Killing Curse, he thought no spell could be worse than snake venom flooding the body.

Meanwhile, Alice was feeling lonely without Frank, and was also feeling the strain of being a NEWT student in her final year. She had premature fears of the exams to come, but Lily and the other female Gryffindors were all there to help reassure her.

It wasn't just Alice who needed comforting. Narcissa was lonely without Andromeda to help her get through her choices to abandon Lucius Malfoy and to join the House Union. Lily, Severus and their friends did their best, but there was only so much they could do from being in different Houses, and a seventh-year girl being chummy with two third years such as Regulus and Melody was more awkward than anything else.

Also feeling more foreign in the castle was Glenn Tozer, as his brother, Ned had also graduated from Hogwarts along with Frank, Andromeda and Malfoy. Glenn and his Hufflepuff friends in the Union were still active and friendly, but he missed his brother's influence. Luckily, as he was now in fifth year, Glenn had more than enough to keep himself occupied.

But as far as Severus was concerned, nobody could be more alienated in the school than Remus.

Remus was still sad and alone in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey had done all that she could. But he was still unresponsive to anything other than his feedings, which although now no longer entailed the possibility of having the feeding hand bitten, was hardly a compensation for the fact that their friend had nearly gone a whole year in this sorry state.

Severus, James and Sirius visited him regularly, as did Peter and Lily, the former because he saw Remus as a best friend, and the latter as she was fond of Remus, and could see that Severus did too.

Today, Severus was visiting Remus with Peter. Peter did all he could to make his friend comfortable and Severus recapped the Defence Against the Dark Arts classes to him, hoping that any of it was getting through to him. But, externally, not even the mentioning of the Unforgivables was enough to spark a reaction out of Remus.

"I hate that even if he does recover, Remus won't be able to study with us in class anymore," said Peter despondently.

"Dumbledore and us in the Union can do the best we can to get him back on track as quickly as possible," said Severus optimistically.

"I hope so."

The two friends bonded more in their concern for Remus, and Severus was tempted on more than one occasion to just divulge Remus' lycanthropy to Peter. But he always thought better of it in the end. After all, he still wasn't entirely sure if this Peter Pettigrew was trustworthy and furthermore, he felt it would be betraying Remus' trust to tell Peter without his consent. It was the same reason why he never told Lily either, despite his wishes to be honest with her.

September passed into October and the leaves around the Forbidden Forest were scattering across the grounds and some breezed into the lake, disturbing the still waters. The brownness of the leaves gave a picturesque view, especially around Hagrid's garden, as Severus looked down on the grounds after sending Gabriel the owl off with his letter to Eileen and Robin. They had sent one to him a few days before, informing him that the Gobstones Inn had been as successful as ever, and Eileen also headed the club there as an undisputed champion.

"Wow, married couples are so boring!" teased Sirius as he read Severus' letter.

"It was Mum's dream to own that place!" snapped Severus. "That and having a new husband to share her dream with, of course she's going to talk about it to her son!"

"Sorry, chum!" said Sirius, smacking himself on the hand.

Severus was soon back with his friends in Herbology class, where Sprout taught them about the Wivered Wyrm Plants, wizened with age, but great inside with potion purposes. Severus found them interesting even in his old life. He often experimented with them for his potion ideas, but none of them ever came to full fruition due to his duties as a spy.

"We all going to Hogsmeade next week?" asked Quincey.

"I expect so, but maybe this time, no dates and just a friends' day out?"

"Really? I thought this would be your opportunity to bag a date yourself."

"Who with?" asked Severus nervously.

"You know who I mean, you idiot!" laughed Quincey.

"Attention is vital in this class, Mr Arnolds," chastised Sprout.

Quincey had the decency to look abashed.

Halloween was not far off, and Severus and his friends grew more and more unhappy as Remus' condition remained as hopeless as ever. Dumbledore and Pomfrey also looked disheartened at his lack of improvement. He may no longer be feral, but he remained inactive and unresponsive.

"He barely sleeps either," said Pomfrey sadly on the 30th October.

"Is that why he's thinner?" asked Severus observantly.

"Yes, although we keep him well fed, his sleep patterns are too minor. He's becoming more and more weak and desensitised to what any human needs. I fear he'll be lost if this goes on for another six months."

"If he's not lost already," said James to himself despairingly.

It was as he said this that Regulus came in, but did so quietly and slowly, as though he was trying to enter the Wing without being noticed.

"Do you want something, Reggie?" asked Sirius, whom was sat beside James.

Regulus jumped.

"Oh, uh, Sirius, um…"

"Visiting Mr Lupin again, are you, Mr Black?" asked Pomfrey.

"I don't recall you coming to visit Remus with the Union before," said Sirius suspiciously.

"Came up a couple of times," murmured Regulus.

"With Melody?"

"No, he always comes alone," cut in Pomfrey.

Severus didn't like the sound of that at all.

"Care to explain, Reg?" asked James.

"It's Regulus to you, and no, just showing concern."

"If you're concerned, you wouldn't be trying to sneak in. I bet you have the last few times and Madam Pomfrey always caught you! You're after something!" said Sirius mutinously.

Regulus was a terrible actor. His expression showed all signs of guilt, and yet he was trying to look puzzled.

"N-no idea what you mean!"

"Pull the other one!"

"Boys, be quiet!" spoke up Pomfrey. "Mr Black, if you're not here solely to be of comfort and company to Mr Lupin, I must ask you to leave!"

Regulus frowned deeply, and addressed Severus, James and Sirius.

"I know there's something up with him beyond a head trauma! I saw it before the attack, and he was hiding something when Mels and I first joined the Union. I know he's hiding something, maybe even faking all this, but I intend to find out w-!"

Upon hearing his brother insinuate that Remus was faking his terrible state, Sirius lunged at him and aimed for his face with his fist.

"DON'T!"

Severus and James dragged Sirius back and the next moment-

"OUT! ALL OF YOU! OUT!"

Not wanting to cross Madam Pomfrey, the four of them departed the Hospital Wing post haste.

"You idiot!" snapped Sirius.

"You're both idiots!" cut in Severus. "Remus didn't need that!"

Sirius looked contrite, but Regulus felt no remorse whatsoever.

"I know he's more than what he's letting on!" he snapped. "I mean what I said, Sirius. I will find out what he and you are hiding!"

"It's you and he, not the other way round, moron!"

Regulus ignored his brother and scampered off, keen to learn the truth about Remus just to spite his elder brother.

"We'll deal with him, Sirius," said James, "but right now, we need to get to class. We'll speak with the Union about Regulus being cruel to one of our own, and we can hopefully get them to dissuade him from harassing Remus, especially in the condition he's in!"

Sirius wasn't happy, but he agreed.

That evening, the Union met up, but Regulus was late as usual, which was what Sirius, James and Severus counted on.

Severus was unsure if confiding with the Union was a good idea, because Regulus was bound to react by making the group just as suspicious of Remus as he was. But the majority of vote was to stop Regulus first and avoid questions later.

"Reggie was being a right git to Remus earlier," explained Sirius.

"How so?" asked Lily.

"He suggested that there was more to Remus' condition than Madam Pomfrey has let on," said James inconspicuously.

"Worse, he even had the gall to suggest that Remus was faking it!" seethed Sirius.

"That's disgraceful!" gasped Mary.

"But I have to admit," said Quincey with a guilty expression, "I found it strange that Remus clawed at Severus that day. It was like he thought he was a wild animal. Most people who get brain damage don't become animalistic. They either become insane or just lose their memory in Muggle examples. Remus is a unique case in of himself."

The rest of the Union seemed to agree, much to Severus' dismay. This was going as badly as he had anticipated.

"Guys, Remus is in a horrible state and you're actually agreeing with Regulus?!" cried James.

"I don't think that Remus is faking it. He could never fool Pomfrey or Dumbledore, especially not for That long!" said Alice reassuringly. "But it is true that Remus' behaviourism after his attack was unusual. What caused it, I do not know, but it is curious!"

Severus groaned. Lily noticed.

"What is it, Sev?"

"I just find it ridiculous. I don't judge Remus for attacking me. Whatever happened to him inside his head may have been a result of some kind of Dark Magic that Malfoy and his comrades pulled. Maybe it wasn't the bang on the head! Maybe they did something whilst conjuring the spell that hit him that would make him act that way! A new Dark spell that they made up to impress Voldemort!"

Most of the Union flinched at the name, but saw some sense in Severus' lie, giving off the satisfactory effect he wanted.

When Regulus and Melody arrived, with Narcissa in tow, the Union were quick to criticise the younger Black.

"How dare you suggest our friend, _your_ friend of faking his illness!" said Glenn Tozer crossly.

"And after all he did to help us out last year!" added Isabella Openshaw. "If not for him, Severus or Melody may have been the ones laying on that hospital bed, out of their minds!"

"So none of you find his condition strange?!" snapped Regulus, looking to his cousin and his best friend uneasily for help.

"I found it crazy when he attacked Severus after waking up…but he's stopped acting like that now," replied Melody timidly.

"But why did he act like a ferocious animal at all?" asked Regulus counteractively.

"I-I don't know."

"You cannot deny there's a mystery in all this!"

"Whatever it is, I'm sure Dumbledore understands!" insisted Severus.

"And besides, we think Remus reacted that way cos of some Dark Magic that Malfoy and his cronies pulled." added James defensively.

"Or maybe that's what Lupin and Dumbledore want us to think!" retorted Regulus.

"You're not actuallys suggesting Dumbledore's hiding this 'mystery' of yours?" asked Alice with mirthless laughter in her voice. "Honestly, Regulus Black! If Dumbledore thought Remus was dangerous, he'd have done something about it by now! Remus Lupin is just very ill and instead of trying to build up some make-believe conspiracies behind his back when he's at his most vulnerable, you should be showing concern! Trying to help him in his time of need!"

"Never a truer word!" put in Sirius, looking at his brother with coldness.

"Be quiet, Sirius!" said Lily.

"We still need to be a Union!" agreed Severus.

"We just all need to agree to leave Remus be," added Mary.

"But he's hiding something! I'm sure of it!"

"If he was, I can guarantee Dumbledore would find out in an instant!" snapped Severus impatiently.

"But-"

"Severus is right, Reggie," said Melody, holding his arm. "Please…let it go…we have such good friends here…do you really want those friendships to end?"

Unlike Melody, Regulus didn't feel nearly as close to the Union as she claimed he did, and he wasn't too concerned about losing them, but at the same time, he knew that Melody would not take his side on that perspective. He feared losing her to the Union, and without Melody, he may as well be a Voldemort supporter to save face. But deep down, he knew he didn't really wish to become a Death Eater: he could never allow Melody to come into harm's way, like she did when Malfoy was around.

"I guess I'll let it go," he said morosely.

"Thanks, Reggie," said Melody, embracing her best friend.

Regulus couldn't hide his blush, and everyone looked at him knowingly.

Severus had plans to help Regulus' motives for staying with the Union intensify. He'd do it tomorrow, on Halloween.

Halloween came and the Union celebrated with another trip into Hogsmeade, escorted by Hagrid and Zeus Gardner. They all did their own thing, but Severus and Lily spent the majority of the day alone. They had Butterbeers and luncheon in the Three Broomsticks, bought sweets from Honeydukes and explored the shops again, but bought nothing else. After they planned to return to the castle a bit earlier than the others, they saw Hagrid passing and he offered to escort them back and have a cup of tea with him until the rest of the Union returned.

They agreed, though declined his rock cakes in advance, as they had just had a filling meal and pudding at the Three Broomsticks.

"Ah, yeah, ye can never get enough at tha' place. Particularly their double layered chocolate and caramel fudge cake!" said Hagrid cheerily.

The pair of them agreed.

As they made their way back, Severus saw Melody coming out of Honeydukes, waiting for Regulus to come out with his sweet purchases. It was their first trip to Hogsmeade together.

Severus knew this was the perfect opportunity to put his plan into action.

"I'll catch you up, Lils. Just wanna see Melody quickly."

"Okay?" replied Lily puzzledly.

She went on ahead with Hagrid, and Severus went over to Melody.

"Hey, Melody," he greeted.

"Oh, hey, Severus!" said Melody joyously. "This village is so cool! There's nothing here I don't want to see!"

"It is a cool place," agreed Severus, "but I just wanted to ask you something."

"Sure?"

"Do you…fancy Regulus?"

Melody blushed and bowed her head, looking down at her feet, her fingers fidgeting uncomfortably on her bag of sweets.

"I take it you do?"

"Y-yeah…b-but why?"

"I think Regulus feels the same way about you," replied Severus, "and I thought maybe you should tell each other. See if before Christmas, you can go to…ugh, Madam Puddifoot's for your first date. Quincey and Mary did that last year today!"

"But why did you wanna know?" asked Melody.

"Cos everyone in the Union is wondering why you two aren't together yet, and so I thought I'd help things along, that's all."

Melody's blush only deepened.

"R-really?"

"Yep. So maybe you should make the first move," suggested Severus.

"Well, th-thank you," murmured Melody.

Severus smiled and turned away.

"Oh, Severus!"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should do the same with Lily. Everyone talks about you two as well."

It was now Severus' turn to blush, and he smiled faintly with a nod and rushed to catch up with Lily and Hagrid.

After a large cup of tea each with the exuberant gamekeeper, Lily and Severus joined him on the uphill walk up to the school to get ready for the Halloween feast.

The Union sat together, and Regulus and Melody were the last to arrive, and to Severus' triumph, they were holding hands with flushed faces.

"You two look like you have something to say," said Sirius.

"Melody and I…um…"

"Are a couple?" asked Lily.

"Y-yes," said Melody.

"At last!" laughed James and Sirius in unison.

"That only leaves you two," smirked Peter.

"Yeah, come on, Severus, Lily!" chuckled Marlene. "Even these two have managed to kick up a relationship before you! Why don't you just give each other a good first snog now?"

"MARLENE!" bellowed Lily, going as red as a London bus.

Severus just stared at the floor.

He was now worried that Lily would grow fed up of waiting for him, and would try finding a man who would date her in an instant. But he was still afraid of experiencing a relationship with Lily and then losing it once she knew the truth of his new life…and the horrific, shameful secrets of his old life.

Before they could dwell on it further, James raised his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"I'd like to propose a toast in this Union," he said, "A year ago today, one of our own, Remus Lupin got so badly hurt, that he's still not recovered, and if and when he does, he will be far behind. I like to think that all of us as a group of unity, will be more than happy to help him recover and to get him back up to scratch."

"Hear, hear," came a sombre chorus.

"To Remus."

"To Remus."

Severus looked over at Regulus. He still had a look of uneasiness on the subject of Remus Lupin, but he also had a happy look when Melody fed him some pumpkin juice from her goblet.

Hopefully, this will help Regulus learn to care for his fellow Union members more in future and keep his friend's secret safe.

Severus also looked at Lily, whom also glanced at him with a brief look of longing in her eyes.

He mouthed at her: Soon.

 **So there's Chapter 43. Hope you all like it. It's been a year since Remus became feral. Hope you all still hope he'll recover though I'm not saying anything. And I know! It's not fair that Sev and Lily aren't together yet! But good things come to those who wait! And I added those final lines to give you all and Lily hope! Chapter 44 is coming soon! Please review! Thanks for reading!**


	44. Chapter 44: Meeting at Malfoy Manor

**Chapter 44: Meeting at Malfoy Manor**

How sad Lily had been to see Regulus and Melody finally get together as a couple, while she was struggling to get any such thing with Severus off the ground. But how happy and relieved she had been when he as good as confirmed to her in one silent mouth action that they would indeed have a relationship in due course.

November was now the month, and Severus, Lily and the Union were progressing in their studies. Sprout's Herbology lessons were more difficult for Lily, as she was trying to remember just about everything so she could pass on the information about the many magical plants and their properties to Petunia.

The leaves were now all gone from the trees and the Forest had its naked and exposed look about it, which made some of the more daring students such as James and Sirius keener to enter it. But their other big pet project was the completion of the Map. They hadn't thought of the name of the Marauders, to Severus' delight, as they were more than just themselves, Remus and Peter now. They were a Union, and so they decided to dub it the Union's Map and planned to show it to the Union members in a private meeting upon its complete devising.

Severus pointed out that with Regulus potentially out of the frame to get Remus' secret out into the open, the Map's creation was moot. But James replied simply, "It's as well to be on the safe side, Severus."

Severus and Lily spent all of their free time together and got closer and closer to each other. Things were going so well, that Severus decided he would try and kiss her on New Year's Day, hoping to romantically start off the year of 1975 with a new relationship with the girl he loved.

Lily was still patient with him, unsure what it was that made her best friend so afraid of committing to a relationship with her. She could see clearly everyday that he wanted them to be more than friends, but she just couldn't work out what was holding him back. She felt that perhaps it had something to do with his father, and how he feared becoming like him, but didn't mention it. She felt that if he wanted to discuss his reasons, he should come to her.

Quidditch season was up and running. James and Sirius, both on the team for Gryffindor, alongside Isabella, practiced constantly, while Severus and Peter became a duo in the Gobstones Club. They were more in their comfort zone doing indoor activities.

The first game against Gryffindor and Slytherin was due to begin on a cold day. The wind howled and frost lay everywhere, but it didn't deter the teams nor their Houses from heading out to the stands.

Severus, on the other hand, was practically dragged there by Lily, whilst Quincey found himself in the same position with Mary.

"Your friends need your support, you know," said Lily enthusiastically.

"But I'm not a Gryffindor!" protested Severus.

"What else could you be doing anyway?" asked Lily.

"I don't know…experimenting on a potion with a few leaves from the Wivered Wyrm plant?"

Severus was keen to prove himself as a Potions Master this time around, and he had lots of ideas concerning the plant. He was sure there was a masterpiece waiting in this plant somewhere, but he just couldn't think what it was as yet.

"Oh, don't be such a hermit!" laughed Lily. "You can go a couple of hours without experimenting! It won't kill you!"

"One: it could easily go beyond a couple of hours! Two: it wouldn't kill me to miss the match either, and three: it wouldn't kill you to miss it and give me some help!"

Lily just rolled her eyes with a smirk and pulled Severus up into the stands.

They arrived in time to see the team captains shaking hands. The friends waved to Sirius and James on the pitch. Severus then noticed something he had forgotten occurred in this year: Regulus was on the pitch too, wearing a Slytherin Quidditch uniform.

"Sibling rivalry in this game," he pointed out to Lily, "seems that Regulus has made the Slytherin team!"

"Wonder what position he plays," said Quincey with curiosity.

"Maybe a Chaser, like his brother," said Mary.

"No, look at how he's the smaller player. He's more likely the Slytherin Seeker," put in Severus.

"Well, let's just hope things don't get too dirty out there," said Lily, now a little worried.

The game soon commenced and in a matter of fifteen minutes, Gryffindor were leading, 80-30. Regulus was hovering around looking focused to find the Snitch. James and Sirius were showing off their scoring skills.

The game continued and the two hours had passed, and the score was now at 190-140 to Gryffindor.

"Time's up, can I go now?" moaned Severus.

"Nah! This is too exciting!" giggled Lily, as she cheered at Sirius' score to make the score 200-140.

"That's a matter of opinion," muttered Severus.

The game eventually reached its climax half an hour later, when Regulus darted for the Snitch and as close to him as Isabella got in an effort to catch up, Regulus caught the Snitch first, winning Slytherin the match, 290-250, with only a forty point difference.

"That's a lot of points for both Houses anyway," said Lily shrugging.

"Yeah, chances are they'll both beat Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff and then face each other again in the final," added Severus.

"I bet James, Sirius and Isabella won't take that defeat sitting down next term," chuckled Mary.

Mary was right.

The three friends were seething in the Great Hall that evening.

"Oh, the shame of being beaten by my Slytherin brother!" grumbled Sirius.

Melody on the other hand looked more than cheerful. Her arms were wrapped around Regulus' neck, kissing his cheek constantly, while he looked both euphoric and triumphant at her love for him and his first victory for the Slytherin team.

"Ah, let him have that win," said Lily.

All eyes turned on her as if she had just had a snog with the Giant Squid.

"It was Regulus' first game ever," she said defensively. "And just after he finally managed to get Melody to date him. It was a perfect opportunity to make him his happiest. And considering what your parents will say to his dating a Muggle-born, Sirius, I'd have thought you'd want your brother to be the happiest he can be while it lasts."

"I suppose so," said Sirius, looking at his brother with a small smile. "He does look very pleased with himself."

"Just as you were when you and I first started dating," put in Marlene, resting her head lovingly on his shoulder, "and you're still my number one Quidditch player anyway."

"And you're mine, Jamesy," added Rebecca, mimicking Marlene's head rest.

That appeased the two would-be Marauders, and Severus and Lily smiled at the couples, but restrained the looks of jealousy itching to surface.

That evening, everybody went to bed, either thinking of couples and relationships, the future of disapproving parents and Dark Lords, or the shame of losing a game of Quidditch.

That same evening, Lucius Malfoy had thoughts of a Dark Lord on his mind. His father, Abraxas had announced to his son that none other than the Dark Lord himself was attending the Malfoy Manor, to give his son the highest honour: joining the Death Eaters and being branded as one of his soldiers.

"Do not let me or your mother down, son," said Abraxas shrewdly, stroking his pale goatee, "the Dark Lord expects nothing but pure dedication to the cause of purity and domination of both the Muggle and Wizarding Worlds."

"And the Dark Lord shall have it, father," said Lucius stiffly. "Nothing will stand in my way to help you and he with the cause and make it a reality!"

"Good boy!" said his father approvingly.

Just then, Lucius' ailing mother, Evelina, came into the dining hall where the men stood. She was slowly deteriorating from an illness that was claiming her central nervous system, and she knew that she had limited time left. But she was nonetheless just as dedicated to blood purity as the rest of her family and was determined to watch her only child gain the honour of serving the Dark Lord himself.

"You got your tie a bit lopsided, hun," she said to Abraxas, as she rearranged his emerald tie delicately.

"Thank you, my dear," he said softly, kissing her as though she were as delicate as a porcelain doll.

Lucius looked slightly dejected to see how fragile his mother was but knew he could not express such an emotion in front of the Dark Lord, and kept as stoic as possible, just as Abraxas had learned to be.

"He and his inner circle will be arriving momentarily," said Abraxas with a slight sweat on his brow. "Where's that infernal infant, Dobby?"

The name produced the crack that indicated the arrival of the young house elf.

"Y-y-you wished to see me, Master?"

"Yes, get to that front door, ready to welcome our guests!"

"Y-yes, sir!"

"And for that stuttering, you will staple your ears ten times after the event is over, idiotic creature!"

Dobby whimpered in understanding before vanishing to the door.

"That bleeding elf is no better than its parents," snarled Abraxas.

"Forget Dobby, dear and let's get on with welcoming the Dark Lord!"

A few moments later, the three Malfoys stood grandly yet obediently, as Lord Voldemort himself swept into the room, led by the quaking and pale Dobby.

"The D-Dark Lord, Master!" he squeaked.

"Off with you! You're no longer needed tonight!" hissed Voldemort, kicking the poor elf away from himself.

Dobby sobbed and vanished to staple his ears.

"My dear Abraxas," greeted Voldemort graciously, "I must thank you for accepting me here on this special occasion."

"The pleasure and the privilege is all mine, my Lord!" replied Abraxas, bowing to kiss the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"And mine, my Lord!" curtsied Evelina weakly.

"And I, my Lord, am deeply honoured to meet you at last," said Lucius in a worshipping sort of way.

"Ah, young Lucius!" said Voldemort, stepping over to take a good look at his newest initiate.

Lucius kissed the hem of his new master's robes, mirroring his father's actions.

"Pray do stand, Lucius."

Lucius did so, looking slightly paler than usual, but nevertheless, exhilarated.

By now, Voldemort's Death Eaters had also entered the room and formed a circle, ready for Lucius' full initiation. Among them, Lucius saw Narcissa's sister, Bellatrix. She looked positively radiant, yet wicked and disgusting. She also held some contempt in her expression, which Lucius believed was due to her sister leaving him. She clearly blamed him for her change of heart.

"I believe you are ready to take my Mark and join my ranks, Lucius?" asked Voldemort expectantly.

"I have been ready for years, my Lord!" said Lucius breathlessly.

"Very good, I need loyal men like you," said Voldemort, "come into the circle, my dear boy!"

Lucius obeyed, ignoring the mutinous glare that Bellatrix was thrusting upon him with emphatic severity.

"Before we begin the branding, Lucius, I wish to convey my deepest regrets on your behalf for the loss of your fiancée, Narcissa Black," said Voldemort, though he didn't sound very sympathetic.

"If that woman has shown herself to be anything like her sister, Andromeda, my Lord, she is of no big loss to me. If anything, it was a lucky escape on my part!"

"Spoken like a true Pure-Blood!" appraised Voldemort. "I feel more and more confident of your competence in the cause, Lucius!"

He had only said this after performing Legilimency on the young man. Although, he still felt deeply hurt by Narcissa's departure, he had ultimately felt that she was just a traitor to her blood and to Lucius himself. He had decided in his mind at least, that Voldemort was more important to him than love from one woman.

"I am honoured in your faith in me, my Lord," replied Lucius.

"Hold out your arm, Lucius."

Lucius did so without any hesitation.

"Morsbrandeur!" chanted the Dark Lord, tipping his phoenix wand upon Lucius' forearm with the gentlest touch.

The effect of the incantation was however, far from gentle.

Lucius hissed through clenched teeth at the agonising burning pain he felt as the tattoo brand of the Dark Mark began to take shape, embedding itself deep into his skin, right through to the bone.

"Yes, Lucius, let the Mark take hold and grant you unspeakable power!" encouraged Voldemort.

Lucius panted as the pain began to ease as the skull with a snake protruding from its mouth finally took full form. It slithered on the spot of his arm and he looked upon it with red eyes. He couldn't have felt prouder of himself, nor could his mother and father.

"I am proud of you, Lucius Malfoy," said Voldemort, echoing their thoughts.

"Thank you, Master!" replied Lucius.

"You and your family will be rewarded most amply!" said Voldemort with a wicked smirk.

Lucius frowned in misunderstanding.

"I do believe that like your father, you wish to join my inner circle?"

"Indeed I do, my Lord!" said Malfoy keenly.

"Then to do so, I have a special mission for you, to prove your loyalty to the cause!"

"Name it, Master, and I shall do it!" said Malfoy with strong passion.

"There will be a raid planned for this coming month," explained Voldemort. "I plan for it to occur during the day the students of Hogsmeade go on their Christmas trip there. I expect you personally to kill somebody there, if not several, but I don't expect too much from you on your first mission. But anything less than one murder from you, you will face punishment! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, my Lord! I shall not fail your order!"

Voldemort smirked with triumph.

"Very good. My Mark will burn on that day…and I expect you to Apparate to Hogsmeade post-haste alongside your comrades!"

"Yes, of course, my Lord!"

Voldemort then turned to Abraxas and Evelina.

"You two have been devout Death Eaters and strong benefactors to the cause for the majority of your lives," said Voldemort proudly, but there was an undertone of doom in his tone that they recognised.

"Yes, my Lord?" said Abraxas uneasily.

"You have also been part of my inner circle for many years…and have shown nothing but deep loyalty to me…"

Both parents looked up at Voldemort with slight concern.

"…and I am also aware that Evelina is close to death, much to my bitter regret."

Once again, Voldemort showed no indication that he regretted anything, least of all, one of his follower's terminal future.

"Yes, that is so, my Lord, and it is very painful," replied Evelina.

"In that case," sneered Voldemort, "allow me to propose an idea that may benefit us all."

"We're all ears, Master," said Abraxas.

"I am in need of a death…a murder if you will."

"You wish for us to kill somebody for you?" asked Abraxas.

"If I may speak to you in private, Abraxas."

There was no inclination that Voldemort was requesting a private audience with Abraxas. It was a strict order.

"This way, my Lord."

Abraxas and Voldemort stood alone in the library.

"What is it you wish of me, my Lord?"

Voldemort suddenly whispered a name in Parseltongue.

" _Nagini…come out!"_

From out of his billowing robes, a snake as long as one of the Manor's library stacks protruded out onto the floor, circling Abraxas. He paled at the sight.

"This enchanting creature has come into my possession in most spectacular circumstances, Abraxas," said Voldemort, "and she has shown deep loyalty to me ever since, and I wish to reward her…what that reward is, is of no concern of yours. But…I must ask of you a favour to make that reward possible, and I believe it will provide your family some relief and mercy."

"W-what is it, m-Master?" stuttered Abraxas, ironically sounding like Dobby.

"I need to murder Evelina, your wife."

"W-what?!" spluttered Abraxas.

"She's in pain," continued Voldemort. "Her murder, swift, simple and unexpectedly…will be a mercy killing at best, an end to her pain, and to your suffering at watching her deteriorate. I'm offering you and your wife an easier way out than you're imagining. And in addition, I wish to offer you a just reward for your loyalty."

Voldemort pulled out something else from his robes; a worn-looking leather book with an unknown name inscribed upon the lower half of the cover.

"If you allow me to murder your wife," said Voldemort, "I shall reward you by becoming one of the guardians of one of my most powerful treasures. Nothing is more important to me than this book's protection! I expect you to dedicate the rest of your life to protecting this book in your home, and not to mention it to anyone, not even Lucius, until the day of your own death, where you will make Lucius guardian in your place, and emphasise to him the importance of its protection."

"Yes, my Lord…I understand."

It was clear that Abraxas didn't understand why Voldemort felt that guarding a tatty old diary was as important as his wife's life, but he knew that defiance would lead to not just his wife's death, but the death of his son and maybe even himself.

"You have my permission, my Lord…but may I at least have a final moment with my wife before…before it happens."

"You have my sympathy and understanding, Abraxas…so yes, you may."

Abraxas thanked his master and entered the dining hall once more. Now that Lucius' initiation was over, the Death Eaters had left, although Bellatrix showed reluctance. Voldemort hovered nearby as Abraxas sent Lucius out of the room.

"Give your mother a hug and a kiss goodnight, son."

Lucius did so.

"Love you, Mum," he said softly.

Evelina sobbed softly and stroked her son's cheek.

"I love you too, Lucius, and I am so, so proud of you!"

Lucius smiled and left the room as ordered. Abraxas turned to address his wife.

"You know…Lucius will make a fine Death Eater," he said casually.

"And later, a fine leader of men and beyond," added Evelina lovingly.

"Just as you and I were," said Abraxas sadly.

"Don't despair, dear," said Evelina softly, holding her husband's head to hers. "I've lived a full and happy life with you, helping to bring the Wizarding World to its true glory, and we've had a wonderful son together who will help make our efforts a reality."

"Yes…I love you so much, Evelina."

"And I love you…" whispered Evelina.

The two of them kissed passionately; a long, emotional, fulfilling final kiss.

As soon as the lips parted-

"Avada Kedavra!"

Evelina Malfoy felt nothing, sensed nothing and realized nothing. She died in her husband's arms, peaceful, happy and content.

As Abraxas sobbed holding his wife's dead body in his arms, Voldemort hissed to Nagini.

"We are one step closer to immortality, my dear girl…both of us…"

 **A/N: What did you all think of That then? I hope I delivered an emotional chapter here! The name Evelina was inspired by Doctor Who's The Fires of Pompeii, where a character named Lucius appeared, and I decided on adopting the name from another character from that episode. Chapter 45 coming soon! Please review! Thanks for reading!**


	45. Chapter 45: Ariana's Breakthrough

**Chapter 45: Ariana's Breakthrough**

It was a crisp, cold morning in the beginning of December. The snow had begun to fall, leaving a gleaming white canvas across the Hogwarts grounds, compressing the wildlife burrowing beneath it, forcing them to dig deeper hollows in search of warmth.

The inhabitants of Hogwarts, however, were far from avoiding the snow. When they were not studying indoors in front of the fire, or attending classes, they were scampering across the grounds. They were playing with snowballs, making snowmen, or with some Slytherins like Avery and Mulciber, kicking over the younger students' snowmen.

Severus and Lily were finishing breakfast, when Glenn Tozer came over, handing Severus a note from Dumbledore, offering him the chance to use the Resurrection Stone that evening.

"Oh, good!" he murmured to himself.

He had wanted some last-minute advice from Lily Potter on how to approach Lily Evans for a first date and to reveal his feelings to her.

"Who's that from, Sev?" asked Lily, after swallowing a rasher of bacon.

"Robin, telling me that he and Mum are happy with whatever choice I make; stay at Hogwarts or go home for Christmas."

This was a half-truth, as he had received such a letter the previous day.

"Oh, are you staying? I was gonna go home," said Lily.

"I'm going home, don't worry," replied Severus, "but we've been debating on staying here in the past."

"Maybe we can ask if we can both stay here next year!" suggested Lily. "After all, we will have OWLs to study for, and it'll be easier not to procrastinate in an educational environment where we're used to studying."

"Good plan," agreed Severus.

Severus noted to himself to remember to ask Eileen about that arrangement upon their return home in a couple of weeks.

The day passed by quite eventfully, due to a snowball fight in the grounds, and to Severus' amusement, when Mulciber tried to assault Mary savagely with ice balls fuelled with what was clearly Dark Magic, Lily, James and Sirius made the spell backfire. Then with some food colouring, James called out:

"Have a warm snowball, Mulciber!"

He hurled the ball and jinxed it to follow Mulciber, whom did not want one of 'those' snowballs to hit him. He ran for the hills, and everyone cackled when he squealed in disgust when the ball hit his head.

"That'll teach that douchebag to try and use Dark Magic on our friend!" laughed James.

"Ooh, big word!" teased Sirius.

He received a backhand to the head for that.

That evening, after some scrumptious lamb stew, Severus left his friends to play Wizard's Chess, while he went to see Dumbledore, under the pretence of going to bed early due to not being up to shape for the snowball fight. He went as quickly as he could, so that it would seem that he had been in bed the whole time, by the time Quincey came up to bed too.

He let himself into Dumbledore's office, as the Headmaster had been expecting him.

"Good evening, Mr Prince."

"Hello, Headmaster, you wished for me to use the Stone tonight?"

"Indeed, today's the set day!"

With that, Dumbledore placed the Stone down onto the desk, and began to make his ascent to the office above.

"Professor," asked Severus hesitantly, "…why don't you wish to use the Stone yourself?"

Dumbledore paused before turning back to Severus with a smile.

"Because patience is a virtue, Mr Prince, and I believe I should wait out my life, before I deserve my family's forgiveness."

And without another word, Dumbledore disappeared into his office.

Knowing he couldn't just go up there and persuade Dumbledore, Severus took advantage of his solitude and took the Stone, turning it.

Lily Potter appeared, but she wasn't alone. James Potter and Ariana Dumbledore were there too, all three looking triumphant.

"Uh, hello?" said Severus nervously.

"Hey, Sev!" smiled Lily.

"What's _he_ doing here?" asked Severus coldly, looking at James with great disdain.

"I tagged along," said James, "wanted to watch you get the news."

"What news?" asked Severus with newfound enthusiasm and hope.

"Ariana made the first breakthrough in our Horcrux hunt!" declared Lily excitedly.

"Tell me more, Ariana!" encouraged Severus.

"Well, I was watching over the Malfoys," explained Ariana, "living, figuratively of course, in hope that Voldemort would bestow upon them a Horcrux. And the other day, we finally got what we wanted. He gave Abraxas Malfoy that diary of his, and it was a Horcrux! He wanted Abraxas to protect it at all costs!"

"That's great!" grinned Severus, much to James' mirthful amusement.

"Sadly, there's some bad news involved," said Ariana.

"What bad news?" asked Severus.

"He made another Horcrux at the same time."

"What? What Horcrux?" cried Severus.

"He killed Abraxas' wife to make it. It was a snake. He named it Nagini."

"But…that snake shouldn't even exist!" spluttered Severus in horror. "How can that thing be alive to start with?! Unless…"

"Unless what?" asked Lily.

"That snake might be an Animagus cursed by Voldemort to stay an animal, or even possibly…a Maledictus!"

"A what?" asked Ariana and James in unison.

"A Maledictus is a female human that is cursed to transform into a beast, eventually the curse makes the transformation permanent. It can be any animal, depending on the blood of the cursed one, and the maternal family member it was passed on from," explained Severus grimly.

"So, both of those theories point to one thing: Nagini, that filthy, disgusting snake that killed you…was a woman all this time?!"

"If a Maledictus, not a real woman any longer," said Severus, "but more or less, yeah."

"I'm sorry, Sev, but this means you have another Horcrux to destroy after all," said Lily sadly.

"But this is still good news in a way," said James optimistically, "you now know where one Horcrux is and you also know that another has been made, and likely by Voldemort's side at all times."

"Destroying them might be about as easy as finding Grindylows in the Sahara Desert!" grumbled Severus.

"If Harry and his friends could do it, you can do it, Sev! I have faith in you!" encouraged Lily.

"As do I and Helena," said Ariana cheerily.

"And me, surprisingly," added James.

Severus felt a little more encouraged, though he didn't want to admit that James' words affected him positively as well. It wouldn't be dignified to let an enemy affect my spirits, he thought to himself.

"I only hope you're right," he said to no specific spirit in particular, "I'd hate to die trying as opposed to die a free man."

Lily smiled.

"Can I have a moment alone with him, now that we've given him the news?" she asked her husband and Ariana.

The two of them nodded in understanding, gave Severus a cheerful farewell and disappeared back to Heaven.

"I believe you wanted to talk to me in private?" asked Lily.

"Yes," said Severus, "while this news about the Horcruxes is great and all…I have another issue I want to ask about."

"About the other me?" asked Lily awkwardly.

"Yeah…um…how did Potter…ugh…seduce you? Make you want to be his…girlfriend?"

"A lot of Firewhiskey, Butterbeer, the pretence of being a more matured human being and being a good kisser on James' part," said Lily with a hint of contempt, "but also, always being there for me when I was aching over losing my best friend. He and my friends convinced me, incorrectly, I know now, that it was all for the best…but he also empathised with me with loss, as his parents died during our sixth year, around Easter time. I was his source of comfort, and through that, he became mine."

Severus nodded sadly in understanding.

"He was there for you when I wasn't."

"By my choice, so don't think it's your fault, or anything like that, Sev," insisted Lily.

"Okay…so you think I should…?"

"Just tell her how you feel. If she's like me, then she'll admire your courage and honesty on the subject, but don't come on too strong. Just ask her out on a date, the date she really wants and you know she wants."

"But…I'm afraid."

"Of what, Sev?"

"Of her and I having a relationship and then losing it if and when she ever learns the truth about me," he answered.

"Does she have to know?" asked Lily.

Severus considered for a moment, then nodded and said, "One day."

"I know I said she'd appreciate honesty…but this could break everything you worked for," said Lily warningly.

"I can't not tell her one day, Lils," said Severus sadly, "I can't bear holding this secret forever, and what if she only finds out upon arrival in Heaven? She'd never forgive me for hiding it!"

"Heaven is famous for overall forgiveness," said Lily.

"As evidenced by your happy marriage to Potter," said Severus with an innocent air, "but I just want to give this Lily more credit than I gave you, which led to losing you because I didn't."

Lily was sure there was no changing Severus' mind. But she gave some final advice anyway.

"Well, just don't tell her yet, Sev," she said, "just ask her out suavely and confidently, and then, depending on how the relationship pans out, you can decide when it's best to tell her about your past…if at all," she concluded hopefully.

"Thanks, Lil…I will…wish me luck!"

"The best of luck, Sev! You deserve some of that!"

Severus and Lily smiled at each other. With the newfound confidence about dating Lily Evans and the knowledge of two Horcruxes in his pocket, Severus deposited the Stone back onto the desk, watching Lily Potter disappear from view once more.

Dumbledore came out upon his call, and Severus keenly informed him about Nagini and the diary Horcrux.

"Ariana saw it?"

"Yes," said Severus with a smile.

"She's helping…she may be forgiving…"

"I'm certain that she and every other version of her that had the same sort of fate you were involved in have forgiven you, Headmaster," replied Severus mildly.

Dumbledore smiled.

"I will take whatever action I can to acquire the diary from Malfoy Manor, but it will take some planning…private planning," he said.

"No help from the Order?" asked Severus.

"The less people who know about our mission, Severus, the better. Any extra person with knowledge on the Horcruxes is a target for Voldemort, and it runs the risk of him finding out what we're up to."

"Then perhaps we need to leave the diary for a while, until we can ascertain all of the Horcruxes' locations, then go for them all at once, so we stand a chance of destroying him before he makes more, like Nagini," suggested Severus.

"That makes sense, Severus, but the longer we delay, the more likely lives will be at stake. Are you prepared to put that many lives into your hands?"

"I'm used to that responsibility by now, Albus," said Severus grimly.

Dumbledore nodded with a frown at that reality.

"Very well…hopefully Lily and Miss Ravenclaw will have more news soon," he said, "if Voldemort entrusted the diary to the Malfoys, he might be willing to do the same for the Lestranges."

Severus was less certain. After all, Bellatrix was still newly recruited. It might take time for her to fully gain Voldemort's trust. But he kept quiet for now, knowing full well that Dumbledore would take that into account on his own.

"Time for bed, I believe, Mr Prince," said Dumbledore.

"Yes, before Quincey notices I'm missing!"

Severus had forgotten all about that when Lily told him about the diary and the snake.

"Oh, and sir…" he said before leaving, "…I think there's more to that snake than meets the eye."

"Severus, I can assure you that this is so…but that's for another time."

Severus nodded and quickly headed back to the Ravenclaw common room.

But what nobody had considered was that Ariana had missed an important detail in what she had witnessed that night…Voldemort was planning an attack in Hogsmeade!

The Daily Prophet had a headline in its papers the following morning. Severus had anticipated it after his talk with Lily and Ariana. The picture on the front was of Lucius Malfoy and his father, both dressed in formal attire and looking heavily forlorn. The headline read: MALFOY WIFE DEAD: FUNERAL HELD YESTERDAY.

Severus read through it, as did the other members of the Union, as well as the Slytherin table.

 _'_ _Mrs Evelina Malfoy, aged 75, died in the late hours of November 30_ _th_ _, says a source, known to be a friend of the Malfoys. She died peacefully in her husband's arms during her final moments, where they both praised the life and prosperity of their only son, Lucius, as pictured inset. The funeral was held yesterday, with a wealthy turnout, at Abraxas, Evelina's husband's invitation._

 _"_ _I was deeply saddened in those last precious minutes with my wife, but I was also very happy and relieved. Happy due to our life and memories shared together and relieved that she knew she was loved and would be missed. I cannot imagine life without her, but for the sake of her memory, of my son, and of the future beneficial to all wizardkind, I shall proceed with my life as she'd have wanted…"'_

"Future benefic- the cheek of him!" spat out Quincey contemptuously.

"He was basically bragging about being a Death Eater in that sentence!" agreed James.

"He's also just lost his wife, we need some, however little, compassion," said Lily softly.

They agreed to disagree in the majority, and settled down to breakfast once more, little knowing of the disaster that was coming their way in only a couple of weeks…

 **A/N: I know! This is my shortest chapter since I first started this story. But it's only because I plan on a much bigger chapter tomorrow. It will be action-packed, heart-breaking, fast, furious and more! Please review! Thank you for reading!**


	46. Chapter 46: The End of the Road?

**Chapter 46: The End of the Road?**

"Don't…don't make…my mistakes! …Be brave…be a Gryffindor! Don't run...don't hate…just be…GOOD! AAAAAAARGH!"

Peter woke with a start, pale, sweating and in shock. He instinctively patted himself harshly, as if to put flames out.

"Peter?"

James and Sirius were roused from their slumbers at the scream Peter had just let out upon wakening and dashed over to his four-poster.

"What is it, Pete?" asked Sirius.

"Bad…bad dream…" replied Peter.

But was it? It felt so real…so agonising…all he knew was, that he didn't want it to ever be real!

"Norton gave you a Troll, did he?" asked James.

"No…I was on fire…I was telling myself…not to make mistakes…and to be a brave Gryffindor."

James and Sirius were puzzled. As far as they were concerned, there was no predicting that scenario.

"But…you are brave, Peter," said James.

"Oh?"

"You stood up to Malfoy, remember? Almost took him out by yourself when you saw us getting hurt! You're brilliant, and a Gryffindor worthy of the name!" added Sirius encouragingly.

Peter felt better for that.

"Yeah…I guess it was just a dream after all…sorry to wake you guys."

"No problem, Peter," replied James, "we're normally up later than this anyway. And it's a Saturday in the morning anyway."

"Hogsmeade trip…can't wait!" grinned Sirius, thinking of the adventures they could have with the extended privileges endorsed by James' Invisibility Cloak.

The three of them went to sleep that night, with a smile on their faces at the thoughts of Honeydukes, The Three Broomsticks and maybe, now that Remus was in the Hospital Wing at all times, the Shrieking Shack.

Meanwhile, Severus, warm and comfortable, slept in his bed in the Ravenclaw common room, dreaming of dating Lily in the New Year to come, and making a good impression the following day in Hogsmeade, unaware of Voldemort's latest scheme.

The following morning, snow fell heavily on the grounds, but it didn't deter the trip to Hogsmeade for anyone. They were all ready to go, and they even planned to go in to the village together as a group, as the full House Union.

Severus and Lily walked down hand in hand, alongside the other couples in the Union. The only exception was Peter, who planned to catch them up after spending an hour with Remus, whom still showed no sign of recovery.

Zeus Gardner and Hagrid led the students into the village, and some primary staff members also proceeded to keep an eye on the students and to reflect on the past term and all its doings over a pint of Butterbeer or Firewhiskey in the Hog's Head. These staff members included Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and further behind them, looking as eerie as ever, Professor Norton.

Severus decided to keep an eye on Norton, hoping against all odds that the man was merely like himself, a Dark Arts enthusiast who did not have entirely evil purposes in life. Severus didn't start out that way as a child but losing Lily had hollowed him out to an extent, but still not enough to become a cold-blooded murderer, like the other Death Eaters.

As the friends arrived in Hogsmeade, Severus watched as Norton went over to the Honeydukes shop, yelling at students to enter and leave one at a time instead of cramming up the doorway and causing a barricade for the locals. He then found himself being pulled into the Three Broomsticks by Lily, and he also noticed that Mary and Marlene were looking in the direction of Madam Puddifoot's with a wistfulness in their eyes. He rolled his own with sarcastic humour.

They joined some tables together before the place got too crowded and sat down to a tray load of Butterbeers after ordering them from Rosmerta.

As they settled down to savour the sweet taste, a seventh year who had declined joining the Union due to the stress of NEWT revision named Emmeline Vance, came into the inn and spotted Severus.

"Severus," she said cheerily, "I have a letter here for you. Some old gentleman asked me to give it to you."

"And you just took it? Just like that?" asked Severus suspiciously.

"What do you take me for?" chuckled Emmeline. "I may not be in your Union, but I'm no fool! I might be helping Dumbledore and Moody fight Voldemort upon leaving Hogwarts, and I know the tricks. The moment I left the Hog's Head, I examined the note thoroughly with anti-jinxes and I can guarantee that the message is harmless. Speaking of, here you go!"

Severus took the note with curiosity.

"Thanks, Emmeline," he said.

"You sure you don't want to join us, Em?" asked Lily kindly.

"You have my support, Lily," said Emmeline politely, "but I just don't see much point. I'm already part of a group that's dedicated to more important things than a companionship in the houses. I get that the Union could do the school and its students the world of good, but I'm looking at the bigger picture at the moment…but good luck all the same."

"If you say so, Em," replied Lily despondently.

Emmeline soon left the premises and went to look for her boyfriend.

Severus read the note and was pleasantly surprised to find it was his grandfather's handwriting and seal.

 _Dear Severus,_

 _I apologise for not writing sooner and I hope that the note reaches you before you're missed at Hogwarts. Through an impromptu arrangement, your mother, step-father, grandmother and I decided to go into Hogsmeade for the day. If you wish to catch up with us, we shall be in the Hog's Head. Miss Evans' family are with us too._

 _Hope to see you later,_

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Grandad Septimus._

Severus grinned and showed Lily the letter.

She was very excited at the thought of seeing her parents and Petunia again earlier than intended, even if only by a week or so. She almost forgot about the rift between her father and sister, but it soon returned to her and the smile she bore slightly slackened.

Severus smiled softly.

"Hopefully things between them are okay, if they're all there together," he suggested with hope.

Lily nodded softly, and the two of them decided to take their leave instantly, after downing their Butterbeers.

"We'll see you guys later?" asked Sirius.

"Yep, say in two or three hours outside of here?" suggested Lily.

"Sounds good to me," said James, before taking a sip from his frothy Butterbeer, making his friends chuckle at the moustache he now sported.

The friends waved at each other as Lily and Severus departed the inn and made their way downwards to the Hog's Head.

The pair of them soon arrived, and found their respective families seated near the bar, and they were being chatted up cheerfully by Hagrid. Aberforth was cleaning out his tankards with a look of bitter indifference. He didn't particularly like the subject of Hagrid talking so fondly of his hated elder brother.

Ignoring the bitter old goat lover, Severus walked over with Lily and made their presence known. Milli-seconds later, the Princes, the Evans' and the Kennedys embraced the both of them, and much to Lily's delight, Petunia was there too as she had hoped. She did however, noticed that she was not allowing herself to stand within two yards of Trevor and always had a dirty look on her face whenever she glanced in his direction.

"You need to patch up soon, Tuney," whispered Lily, after the greetings died down, "how is Mum managing while I'm gone and she just has you two around and you won't put up with him?"

"She's upset, I guess," said Petunia, "but so am I. Every day!"

"I know," murmured Lily sadly.

"I might forgive him someday, Lily…but don't rush me. He hasn't earned my forgiveness and I'm not really sure how he will. He made me feel like…a…a freak."

Lily, unaware of how strong that word was once aimed at her by another version of her sister once, nodded sadly and cuddled her sister, as they sat before the inn's fire, feeling its warmth brightening their spirits. As this happened, they got down to the subject of Hogwarts' fourth year so far, Lily's new discoveries in Herbology class and Petunia's eagerness to look around the local village and maybe even the castle from a distance.

Lily asked Severus if he wanted to accompany them to give Petunia a tour of the village, but he politely declined, partly because he wanted to spend some time with his family and partly because he felt Petunia and Lily would enjoy the tour more without him. And so, the two sisters waved and rushed through the door, letting some snow in, much to Aberforth's fury, and darted off back to the centre of Hogsmeade.

Severus was sure he heard Lily say, "You'll adore Honeydukes!"

"Now then, how are you doing then, boy?" asked Septimus.

"I'm doing well, Grandad," replied Severus pleasantly.

"Any idea when you're gonna get yourself a girlfriend? A certain redheaded girlfriend, specifically."

Severus informed him that he planned to ask her out just before the New Year.

"Romantic idea, lad!" chortled Septimus. "If you don't mind, I'd like a private word with you outside."

Septimus led the puzzled Severus outside and round the back alley of the inn. After making sure nobody was around, he addressed the boy quietly.

"Your grandmother and I have agreed that you should have this."

He handed a ring box to Severus, and inside it was the most beautiful engagement ring that Severus had ever seen, not that he had seen many. He never had the need to go looking for one ever since he lost Lily's friendship. It had a huge emerald embedded inside and the Prince family's insignia embedded around the ring itself.

"We want you to give this to Lily when you're old enough to know she is the love of your life. I gave this to your grandmother when I proposed, but now she and I want you to carry it on by giving it to Lily, but absolutely not before you are of age. Until the day you both are ready, keep that ring safe."

Severus was stunned.

"Always, Grandad. I…I promise."

Nothing could have made Severus happier to have been reunited with his grandparents in this life. They had not only accepted Severus and his mother, or changed their outlook on wizarding blood, but now they were happy to have a Muggle-born become a part of their lineage.

He hugged his grandfather happily. But then at that moment, there was an outbreak of cries and screams, coming from the village.

"What's going on?" asked Septimus.

Severus paled. Nothing that sounded like that could be good, and Lily had just taken Petunia in that direction. What if something had happened to them?

He quickly ran to find them, Septimus following.

By now, the noise could be heard within the inn, and Aberforth, Desdemona, Eileen, Robin, Trevor and Rose could see Severus and Septimus running towards the source. The shrieks were harrowing to even Trevor and Rose, and they gasped upon realization that their daughters were in the middle of it.

"We must find the girls!" cried Rose.

"No! Stay here! We'll go after them!" said Eileen.

Eileen, Robin and a suddenly athletic looking Desdemona raised their wands and rushed off to investigate.

Aberforth sealed the doors to the Hog's Head and non-verbally cast his goat Patronus, to send a message to Dumbledore.

"Death Eaters in Hogsmeade! Come fast!"

In the village, it was chaos!

McGonagall had also sent a Cat Patronus to Dumbledore, and she and Flitwick led the charge to fend off the Death Eaters and to protect the villagers and the students.

The Death Eaters fired spell after spell, curse after curse. People from all over the area were dropping like flies, either in agony or in death.

Severus and Septimus raged into the battle, wands a-blazing, the latter so immersed into the thrill of the fight that he didn't take notice on how strongly and willingly to battle Severus was, as if he were an experienced war hero.

Severus looked frantically for the red hair of the girl he loved. He daren't call her name in case it caught the attention of the Death Eaters, and they'd take pleasure in eliminating his love. He eventually caught sight of the red hair. It was crouched just outside the Three Broomsticks, clutching someone else protectively in her arms. It was Petunia, who had a bleeding gash on her cheek.

Severus reached them just in time to dodge an incoming Cruciatus Curse, before sending a Stunning Spell back in return.

"Are you both okay?!" he panted.

"We're fine, but where are the others?! We need to get Tuney away from here!"

"We'll try and get her to the castle!" called Severus over the screams and chants. "The Hog's Head is more likely to fall under siege than Hogwarts! We can get her to a Floo there and send her home! Your parents will likely have been sent back too!"

Severus knew this was unlikely, as their parents would never willingly leave without their girls, but he was at this juncture praying that Aberforth would have been more forceful in this situation.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The three of them ducked for cover, and Severus looked up to see Professor Norton had fired the spell. Lying behind him was Professor Flitwick, bruised, bloodied and motionless. Severus froze. Filius Flitwick couldn't possibly be…

Then he noticed Norton was changing. His hair turned darker and his eyes grew sharper…he was under the Polyjuice Potion's effects, but it was wearing off to reveal-

Severus knew vaguely who he was. He saw him a few times during his career as a Death Eater. It was Oscar Nott, the father of Theodore Nott, and one of the original Death Eaters.

"You…you posed as a teacher…why?!"

"As a spy, boy!" laughed Nott. "The Dark Lord wanted me to keep a close eye on Dumbledore and his potential recruits. And by being a staff member, I also sneaked a few students out of the castle today. Those without permission to go to the village and were Mudbloods are now out here being massacred! The Dark Lord will reward me most handsomely!"

"YOU VILE, INHUMANE BASTARD!"

It was Petunia who shrieked at Nott with such fury.

He was momentarily stunned, but then his lip curled into a mirthful sneer.

"You've got bravery, girl…but no brains and no magic…you're just a wounded dog ready to be put down!"

"NO!" cried Lily, throwing herself in front of her sister.

"No, you're absolutely right, Miss Evans. Your sister is lower than a dog! She's a MUGGLE! Avada-!"

"NO!"

A fist collided with Nott's jaw, breaking it, but he still cast non-verbal spells at his attacker: Trevor Evans!

Trevor expertly dodged the spells and tackled Nott to the ground, knocking his wand out of his hand.

Petunia then grabbed the wand and snapped it in half.

"FILTHY BITCH!" shrieked Nott.

"NEVER! INSULT! MY! DAUGHTER! IN FRONT OF ME!" roared Trevor.

And with that, Trevor seized Nott by the hair and smacked his head into the ground several times until blood oozed from his head and the Death Eater lay motionless, eyes wide open in shock, killed by a 'filthy Muggle.'

"Dad!"

Lily and Petunia embraced their father tight.

"Where's Mummy?!" sobbed Lily.

"She's home! The bartender and I made her do so. I said I'd follow, but then I made the bartender lock up the network. I had to get to you both!"

"But you're more defenceless than we are!" cried Petunia. "What will Mum be going through right now?!"

"Tuney! He just killed a Death Eater! Dad's freaking awesome!"

Nobody argued with that, and they quickly got up to get to Hogwarts or any building that hadn't been taken over by the Death Eaters.

Severus cast jinx after jinx, suppressing the urge and natural reaction of using Unforgivables against his enemies. He also restrained himself from reintroducing Sectumsempra to this world.

The battle was still going fiercely and fortunately, nobody on the opposite side seemed to have noticed Nott's murder at the hands of Trevor. If they had, Severus was almost certain that Trevor would be laying dead on the ground in seconds.

But as they fled to the outskirts of the village, they saw Melody and Regulus being chased by two Death Eaters and to his horror, Severus recognised the cackles of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Everybody, hide!"

Trevor sensed the horror in Severus' normally stoic voice and obeyed, also not fancying his chances of protecting the children from two armed Dark Wizards.

Severus knew he had to help Regulus and Melody, and Lily looked ready to fight too.

"We can't leave them to those two!" she whispered.

Severus nodded and as if through mutual agreement, the two quickly used Petrificus Totalus on Petunia and Trevor, keeping them safe and immobile, hidden in the bushes. They then stepped out and rushed to fight.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

Lily was heard by Bellatrix. She laughed.

"Ickle Mudblood girl come to help blood traitors and other Mudbloods?"

Lily replied instantly with a furious Incarcerous spell.

Bellatrix deflected the attack and shrieked in anger.

"CRUCIO!" Severus charged Lily down, and the spell flew behind them, and hit somebody else.

Sirius Black's screams could be heard for miles around. His friends, James Potter and Rebecca Castle, along with his girlfriend, Marlene McKinnon rushed to his aid, but then James quickly got back into the mindset of fighting and aimed a jinx at Bellatrix, while Severus and Lily took on the masked Death Eater.

The battle was fierce and Severus, Lily and James were holding their own fairly well, until-

"CRUCIO!"

James screamed in agony. He felt like he was being sliced and diced with daggers and the screams didn't do his suffering justice.

"NO!"

More spells came flying and from different directions. Two came from Frank and Alice, the former bleeding heavily from a broken nose and a swollen eye. The third one came from the castle. Severus was hoping it was Dumbledore, but it was Peter.

The group now heavily outnumbered the two Death Eaters, but two of their number were down and another was short-sighted by the wounds he had received. Severus knew the odds were not exactly in their favour due to their lack of experience, but he refused to give in. Not when he had Lily to protect.

Peter's second jinx hit the second Death Eater full in the face and he yelled, stripping his mask off and revealing the visage of Lucius Malfoy.

"I got him with a Bat Bogey Hex!" yelled Peter.

Bellatrix shot a spell that knocked Lily and Alice backwards and tended to Malfoy's sticky flapping face with a brief counter-jinx.

"Run! I'll keep them back!" said Peter to Severus and Frank.

James and Sirius were being helped back to the castle by their girlfriends, Regulus and Melody were far ahead and Lily had rushed to go back to protect her sister and father. But Severus, Frank and Alice weren't moving.

"Peter, don't! Come back with us!"

"I refuse to be the coward who can't get a spell right!" snapped Peter. "I was jealous of Severus and I always felt like the odd one out when James and Sirius befriended him in first year! I've made friends since and I want to prove myself! I will not make the same mistakes!"

Severus frowned. What did that mean? Did Peter somehow know what his past self did in the old universe?

"GO! PLEASE!"

Severus pulled Alice back, but Frank refused to leave Peter's side.

Just then, a roaring Patronus in the shape of a phoenix flew to the scene and soared right through Bellatrix's chest. She paled and cringed in pain…as if the happiness the Patronus carried was agony to her insides. She passed out, but Lucius lashed out, fully recovered and the Patronus was devoured by a well-controlled bit of Fiendfyre.

"Now for you!"

He turned on Peter. Frank tried to disarm Malfoy, but the villainous Death Eater shot a Cruciatus at him, making him collapse in pain.

"Not this time, Longbottom! Pettigrew's mine!"

Peter held up his wand. He was as pale as a sheet and shaking furiously, but he stood his ground. He knew…just knew somehow that this was the opposite of what he had done sometime before…how he knew he couldn't tell, but he refused to betray or hurt his friends. He would be brave, just as the Sorting Hat suggested he was.

"DUMBLEDORE!"

Lily's cry was heard.

Dumbledore was rushing to the scene, wild fury in his blue eyes and above him was Fawkes the Phoenix, ready to fight in the village. He saw Malfoy in combat with Peter and rushed to help. Severus did too.

Malfoy roared in anger.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"NOOOOO!"

Peter had turned his head at the name of his headmaster with a smile of relief on his face. He didn't realize what had happened. His body slackened as the Killing Curse hit him and his body fell into Malfoy's arms.

The Death Eater shoved Peter's body off of himself in disgust.

"ACCIO!"

Bellatrix's prone body flew over to him and he Disapparated before Dumbledore's enchanted ropes could seize them.

Everything was in slow motion.

Severus had still been running when Peter died and now, he slowed to a stop over his body and tried in vain to shake him awake.

"Peter…Peter…"

Dumbledore looked at Peter's body with tortured eyes, before Apparating to the village.

Within seconds, yells of retreat could be heard in the distance, then the sounds of popping; the withdrawals of cowardly Death Eaters.

"Peter…"

Trevor and Petunia made their way over with Lily. She saw what Severus was shaking, albeit more slowly and weakly than he had originally, as the realization sunk in.

Frank crawled over too, tears streaming in his eyes. Alice rushed over and hugged him.

"Sev…let him go."

"Peter…"

"He's dead, Sev," whispered Lily, crying deeply.

Severus saw her traumatised face, softly lowered Peter to the ground again and embraced her, crying silently himself.

Trevor hugged Petunia as she sobbed at the sight of a dead body, the body of a boy younger than her who showed such courage. She felt so pitiful, so useless. And to think she wanted to learn basic magic…

Dumbledore was soon there along with several Ministry Aurors, including a younger and less scarred Alastor Moody.

Dumbledore and a St Mungo's Healer bent over the body and the headmaster conjured a sheet with the Hogwarts emblem on it and shrouded it over Peter.

"Severus Prince?" asked Moody.

"Y-yes?" replied Severus.

"Come with me, please, your mother asked for us to locate you."

Moody led Severus and the Evans family, who followed him, back into the village. Severus looked back and saw Dumbledore watching him with a look of sheer grievance. He didn't like the look of that. It was like Dumbledore was telling him to prepare for more bad news.

He paled.

 _Did_ something else happen?

Upon entering the village, Severus, Lily, Petunia and Trevor spotted several bodies, including that of the Three Broomsticks' landlord, several villagers and a student or two were laying face down on the ground. Whether or not they were dead, they didn't want to know yet. They also saw McGonagall tending to Professor Flitwick who was alive but heavily injured. From a distance, Severus and Lily saw Nott's body, but ignored it for now.

Severus looked on and saw Narcissa Black, laying spread-eagled on the ground. She was clearly not dead as her chest was rising and falling rapidly, but she had been badly hurt or worse, tortured. He couldn't bear the idea of her being permanently driven insane by her vengeful ex-fiancé.

But before he could contemplate this possibility, his gut wrenched with horror at what he saw just outside Honeydukes.

His mother was being hugged by Robin on the ground, both looking unscathed, but Eileen looked tortured with grief. In front of them was a Healer trying and failing to console a shaking Desdemona, who had laid herself over a body.

Severus dared not believe it, but upon their stop, he could see the blank empty eyes of his reformed and beloved grandfather…the eyes that had looked at him with pride and love only half an hour ago, never to have such light in them again.

 **A/N: Here it is at last: Chapter 46! I hope it's to everyone's liking and I hope you don't all hate me for these events. I chose for Peter to die before he could chicken out of the light and let his teenage mind control his desire to be good. I also selected Septimus to give Severus a new reason to fight for the Light besides the love of a woman.**

 **To the reviewer named Jen, I don't recall saying I would update only 4 days after the last chapter, but I also wish to apologise to you and my other readers for taking this long. My laptop broke down last week and before that, I was more in focus on my dissertation at university. Both are resolved now, and I hope to get back into the swing of things now!**

 **Please review! Thank you for reading! Chapter 47 coming soon!**


	47. Chapter 47: Light at End of the Tunnel

**Chapter 47: The Light at the End of the Tunnel**

The castle was quiet and morbid that same evening. The rooks in the clock tower echoed their calls to the dead, and the sky was as dark as Voldemort's heart with no stars or moon to guide the lost fighters to their new abode.

Severus lay in a bed in the Hospital Wing, his eyes taut with tears and pleaded in vain to the Higher Ones for his grandfather and his friend to return.

Lily had been sitting up late by his side, alongside Petunia. Their parents were back home but Dumbledore arranged to come and bring them to his office personally, and they were to collect their children and Severus. Severus was to stay with the Evans that night, as his mother, Robin and Desdemona were dealing with the body of Septimus and making night-long arrangements for his passing.

James and Sirius were lying prostrate on their beds, tears in their eyes. Nobody said a word since their arrival in the Hospital Wing. They were quietly told by an unscathed McGonagall that Peter was killed. They couldn't bear the agony of this truth and were put into a Dreamless Sleep by Pomfrey, but the sleep was haunted by the pain of the Cruciatus Curse and they woke again not long after and were now taking in the minimal consolation of their girlfriends stroking their hands. Frank was in the same position and was even crying more, despite Alice's efforts. Unlike James and Sirius, he refused to take medication of any kind, though Pomfrey drew the line with easing the pain in his muscles.

Remus was lying in bed asleep, blissfully unaware of all that was going on around him. He had been put into a day-long coma by Pomfrey after a stressful day of screams and pain in his head. He was due to wake up again the following day.

"Who's going to tell him?" asked James suddenly.

All eyes turned to him.

"Peter and he were close friends before the attack, and Pete visited him more times than anybody else…to never see him come and visit again…"

"We'll take his place…and we'll tell him together when he wakes up," replied Sirius quietly.

Severus sighed in deep thoughts of despair.

Near them, also bedded up and recovering were a sleeping Professor Flitwick and a comatose Emmeline Vance. Narcissa was also under a coma too. All three were expected to recover, but the latter would likely need a lot of psychological therapy after enduring the Cruciatus under the hands of Bellatrix and Lucius before the death of Peter. Regulus explained downheartedly that Narcissa had fallen victim to them before they gave chase to him and Melody.

Melody was crying a lot lately. She felt that if she hadn't run to Hogwarts with Regulus, and just stayed to fight, Peter may have not been caught in the crossfire of the battle.

"You wouldn't have survived, Mel," said Lily softly.

"We're all lucky to have survived ourselves," added Severus.

"Thanks to Peter." murmured James piteously.

Everybody nodded in agreement.

Flitwick woke up first and Dumbledore let him in on the events he had missed. He groaned sadly at the loss of Peter. His death and Septimus' among many others were noted and honoured in the Daily Prophet's evening edition.

As the friends sat and mourned in silence, the doors opened and there were the more visibly pregnant Andromeda Tonks and her husband, Ted. They both rushed over to Narcissa's bedside, which was currently occupied by Regulus and Melody too. Sirius was sat beside her bed in his own.

"Oh, Cissy," murmured the elder sister sadly.

"She'll be okay," whispered Regulus.

Andromeda embraced him.

"I'm so glad you're safe…all three of you. But…who _is_ dead?"

The Union members in the room lowered their heads unhappily.

"Several villagers, Emmeline's boyfriend, Professor Norton, though he was actually a Death Eater in disguise, Severus' grandfather-"

Ted groaned in sorrow for his wife's friend. Andromeda was looking to Severus with deep sympathy.

"And…Peter Pettigrew," concluded Severus to divert the pity party from himself.

Andromeda's hands clasped over her mouth in horror.

"Peter's dead?!"

"Yes…he was trying to defend us against Malfoy…Dumbledore's arrival distracted him. Malfoy killed him on the spot…I should have been able to stop him!"

It was Frank who said this. He looked wretched with guilt.

"You did the best you could, honey," whispered Alice sympathetically.

"No, my best would have saved him," moaned Frank.

Alice hugged him as he sobbed in her arms. This sparked tears from the others. Dumbledore was watching them alongside Pomfrey from the door. He was about to inform them that Trevor and Rose had arrived to take Severus, Lily and Petunia home.

But he didn't enter yet.

His reasons were two-fold.

One was that he felt the Union needed their privacy in such a vulnerable state, and the second was the premature wakening of Remus Lupin. He was awake and tears were pouring from his eyes. His face was straight, but his eyes looked more human than they had been for a long time.

Dumbledore wished to smile but declined to do so. There was very little to smile about. The Pettigrew matriarch was currently in his office, filled with despair as he recounted the story of her son's heroic sacrifice, not to mention the bereaved expressions of the Prince matriarch and her daughter. Severus was also looking beyond help at this moment. He knew time would pass and life would go on. But this Dumbledore had more tact than his predecessor and knew that this process would take time. And only time could heal Severus, not a double life enslaved to two men, in a vain effort to quench a guilt he could never let go of.

Hogwarts was ready to be closed a week early. Even the students who had elected to stay for the holidays were obliged to leave. The Ministry were taking investigation procedures over Christmas and Dumbledore even postponed Severus from seeing Lily Potter until after Christmas. The only ones who hadn't left the school yet were Remus, James, Sirius and the others who were attacked with the Unforgivables, still in the Hospital Wing.

Severus was at this time, back in Cokeworth. He was staying with the Evans, trying and failing to sleep. Any time his eyes closed, his mind showed him snippets of the events of the day…Peter's final expression, Flitwick and Narcissa on the floor, Nott's perverse leer on the Evans girls...his grandfather's body…

He sobbed in silence at the thought that he'd never be able to cuddle his grandfather in this life again. He felt some consolation at the knowledge that his grandfather wasn't gone for good…but he couldn't tell his family nor Lily this. And he couldn't bring himself to look forward to seeing his grandfather via the Stone. It wasn't good enough. The only reason the Stone was good enough to communicate with Lily Potter was the fact that he still had a Lily Evans to come home to, always welcome and always the right time.

As he pondered this misery in an endless cycle in his head, the door opened and Rose came in, also looking like she had been crying. Severus strode to conceal his own tears and shaking, but she wasn't fooled.

"Severus," she whispered, rubbing his back, "Robin's here…he says you can come home now if you wish."

Severus couldn't imagine himself getting out of bed, but he knew that his mother needed him and so he slowly, as though he were made of lead, heaved himself up and slipped his shoes on, ready to go.

"Severus," continued Rose as he was about to pass her, "we likely owe you our daughters' lives. Trevor said before he stepped in, you looked more than ready to give up your life to save theirs. Thank you…and…know that we all love you and are here for you when things get too much."

Severus hugged her softly, his tears leaking out despite himself.

"Thank you, Rose," he replied softly.

"You're welcome, darling. And I'm so sorry about your grandad…and your friend."

Severus only nodded meekly and went down to join Robin.

"Your mum's waiting, Severus," he said sympathetically.

Severus nodded grimly once more and let Robin lead him outside and back to Spinner's End. From her bedroom window, Lily watched him go and the pair of them waved to each other secretly. They both needed time to process what had happened. Neither of them slept well that night, and neither of them were thinking about being a couple…

The following morning, Severus spent all his time with his mother. Desdemona had slept there too, mourning her husband and unable to face returning to Prince Manor alone. Septimus' name was all over the Daily Prophet, along with tragic hero students such as Peter, as well as Hogsmeade residents. Severus glanced at the extensive article briefly but was unable to look at it for long without bursting into silent tears again. He hadn't changed his clothes at all either and felt something when he sat on the settee. He fished out what his grandfather had given him before he died, his old engagement ring.

Thoughts of he and Lily getting together at last seemed farfetched now after all that had happened. But Severus knew that the day would come, if not for he and Lily, then to honour his grandfather's memory and wish.

Later that day, they agreed that Desdemona remain with them until she was well enough, if ever, to return to the Manor. The house elves were instructed to keep the Manor aired, dusted and ready for its remaining owner's return. Severus and Eileen kept Desdemona as occupied as possible, mostly with cuddles and shared mourning. Robin remained silent yet optimistic by taking charge of the house. The Gobstones Inn was closed for the week and fortunately, no Christmas Eve bookings were cancelled. Robin insisted he and the elves take charge of the inn until after New Year, to which Eileen did not object and showed every inch of gratitude for her husband's kindness and helpfulness.

Christmas was likely to be cancelled, though this didn't disappoint anybody in the Prince-Kennedy family considering the lack of festiveness in the household.

Two days in collected solitude passed and Severus seemed to look more gaunt in quick succession. Eileen noticed this, as did Desdemona and the pair of them insisted that Severus get outdoors and go and see Lily, to see how she and her family were coping with the events at Hogsmeade.

Severus only left after Desdemona insisted that she could manage without him for a few hours and Eileen kissed his cheek, whispering, "Your grandad wouldn't want you to become a recluse…it'll be hard enough getting your nanny to not become one as it is."

As Severus departed the house, he immediately felt the sense that somebody was watching him and he increased his pace, but not long after, he was grabbed by the shoulder. Before he could raise his wand, a familiar voice barked at him.

"I like your vigilance, boy, but there's no need in this scenario!"

"Moody?!"

"Dumbledore requested that myself and a few others watch over yours and Miss Evans' families, among others," explained Moody, "today happens to be my shift."

Severus then had a nasty thought, or rather memory, of when Moody wasn't who he said he was.

Raising his wand after all, directing it under Moody's chin, he muttered coldly.

"What is the Patronus of Alastor Moody? The same Patronus used to contact Professor Slughorn two days ago after Moody brought me and Lily Evans to the body of Septimus Prince?"

This was the best question that Severus could think of, as no Death Eater could conjure a Patronus and the Death Eaters had all fled long before the moment he had mentioned.

"A vulture," replied Moody approvingly, "never been sure why."

Severus could understand why, though Moody had yet to gain his magical eye.

"Can I get a demonstration of said Patronus?" he continued unrelentingly.

Moody didn't look annoyed in the least. In fact, he looked pleased with Severus' persistence.

"Expecto Patronum," he said quietly.

The ghostly vulture flew and perched on Severus' shoulder before just as quickly fading away.

Severus finally lowered his wand and apologised.

"Never be sorry for being cautious in wartime, laddie! Constant vigilance!"

Severus couldn't help but sport a smile of appreciation. Apparently, some people never change.

The two of them headed off to the Evans estate, and Moody explained that so far all seemed well there, if not a little haunted for the girls in particular. He also mentioned that Rose had privately chastised Trevor for leaving her at home alone to cry herself in horror at what may or may not have befallen the rest of her family. This didn't surprise Severus at all.

The pair soon reached the house and Severus knocked.

Lily answered it, stared at them for a moment and then winded Severus by tackling him into a tight hug.

"I missed you so, Sev!"

Severus realized how much he missed her too and cuddled her, fighting back tears.

The two of them entered, followed by Moody. Severus was greeted most welcomingly by Rose.

"Oh, my boy, how are you?" she asked, sitting him at the dinner table and putting the kettle on. "Tea, Alastor?"

"No, thanks. I'm set, Mrs Evans," said Moody, taking a swig from his hip flask.

As they drank their tea, Trevor came down, with Petunia bringing up the rear.

Severus looked over to Lily and she smiled softly, nodding.

At least one good thing had come from the Battle of Hogsmeade; it would seem that saving his daughters' lives and defending his elder's honour was more than enough to make Petunia forgive her father.

Severus smiled secretly too and winked at Lily, whom copied the action in response.

They spent the remainder of the afternoon catching up on the past two days and wondering what was going on amongst their friends over the early holidays…

At Andromeda's new home, Sirius, Regulus and a physically recovered Narcissa were sat at a small dining table. Sirius looked ecstatic, Regulus looked downcast and Narcissa looked haunted and gaunt.

After the battle in Hogsmeade, it became common knowledge that the three of them were against the Death Eaters and each of them were sent a Howler that distressed Remus more than anybody else, and Pomfrey was enraged. The Howlers dubbed the three Blacks as disgraces and prone to disowning…but for the present, severe punishment.

To relieve them of that retribution, Andromeda took it upon herself to escort her sister and cousins back to her home and let them remain there until they saw fit. They did realize however, that this meant they would most certainly be disowned now.

"Bet Mother dearest is burning us off the wall as we speak, if not before," said Sirius with relish.

Nobody laughed.

"Siri, I know you're glad to be away from them, but Reggie and Cissy won't be quite so happy to be disowned," said Andromeda a trifle sternly.

"Sorry," murmured Sirius with contrition.

"Tea, Cissy? Reg?"

"Please," said Regulus hoarsely.

Narcissa said nothing, staring into vacancy.

Andromeda sighed. They had a long way to go, and she wasn't sure if she wanted Narcissa in particular to return to Hogwarts after New Year. But she would endeavour to help her recover in the meantime.

Perhaps Christmas would have to be cancelled this year…all the more reason to celebrate after the baby was born.

At Hogwarts, almost everybody was recovered. The only two left in the Hospital Wing were James and Remus.

James insisted that his chest was still heaving in agony from the Cruciatus Curse he was submitted to, and despite Pomfrey's claims to the contrary, his parents insisted he stay put for another day or two so as to be sure.

James' true reason to stay behind was to spend as much time alone with Remus as possible, since Andromeda took the Blacks away quickly to avoid their respective parents' punishments. Frank, Alice and the others also went home, either at their parents' command or to mourn, such as Emmeline was for her boyfriend, Lucas Banns. James was the last one there and he felt the need to speak to his old friend about Peter.

"I guess you know by now about Peter, eh, Rem?"

Remus was wide awake, sat up, with his arms crossed around his legs, frowning at nothing.

"I'm sorry, Remus…sorry you never got to see him in action…nor be able to truly be with us this past year…especially Pete. He treated you as the best of friends. He saw you more often than any of us. I think he felt you sympathised with him more. You have always been the kindest of us in Gryffindor, maybe in the whole school. And I wish that Peter lived long enough to see you get better…he wanted nothing more than to see you well again. In fact, Remus, we all want you back…please…come back to us…"

James was crying by the end of this monologue to his friend. He also noticed tears coming out of Remus' eyes.

Then he heard it.

"James…"

Remus spoke his name. James ceased his shaking at once and pushed closer to his friend, hoping he was comprehensive of this movement. The werewolf's eyes flicked over to meet his own.

"Peter's gone…James…"

James' only reply was a bittersweet nod; Remus Lupin was back at last.

 **A/N: Here's Chapter 47! I hope this chapter was okay, and that I recollected every detail from the battle and placed it into this chapter! Fun theory: I made Moody's Patronus a vulture to symbolise his mad eye, so as to reference Poe's 'Tell-tale Heart' and I recommend the short story to readers! And yay! Remus is back! Chapter 48 coming soon! Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	48. Chapter 48: Peter Pettigrew Once More

**Chapter 48: Peter Pettigrew Once More**

Was it day? Night? Well, certainly not night. It was far too bright. But it wasn't natural either. Peter Pettigrew was very confused. One moment, he was duelling in the snow and feeling immense relief at the arrival of Dumbledore, and the next, he was lying naked on a platform of some kind. Then he felt drawn to a train of pure white beside him and found his favourite selection of clothing in the compartment he entered. If this was one of Sirius' tricks, he had really outdone himself this time.

He felt that he should be afraid, and that wasn't difficult for him, but Peter felt more peaceful than anything else. He was puzzled and disorientated, yes, but certainly not afraid.

The train eventually stopped, and he found himself in a reflective but more beauteous version of his house. He mechanically jumped off the train and walked towards it. There at the door was his father…but that couldn't be right…his father died when he was young. He had never been able to raise his son to be a brave Gryffindor…but then again, he didn't think he had done a bad job of it in Hogsmeade today…but where were his fighting friends? Were James and Sirius okay? Did Severus get Lily and Frank away from Malfoy in time? Where were the Death Eaters? And how the hell was his dead father standing before him?

"D-dad?"

His father pulled him into a loving embrace.

"I'm so proud of you, son…many other versions of you went the wrong way out of fear. Particularly the version who was in your dreams…"

Peter didn't understand but he felt no desire to either. He was just relishing the long-lost cuddles of his father, but perhaps that was just as well because the stories Mr Pettigrew could divulge upon him were disgraceful and soul-wrenching.

He felt like he was four years-old again, which of course he was in the moment he felt the joys of a paternal hug once more.

"I missed you, Daddy," he whispered.

"And I missed you…I was so afraid I would never see you again," replied his father, not saying what made him fear that.

"But we're together again now," whimpered Peter as he cried in joy.

"And soon, possibly in five or so years, your mother will be here too," said his father with an impatient tone.

"Where is here, Daddy?" asked Peter at last, his curiosity returning to him.

He also noticed his voice was squeakier and he looked to see that he had de-aged by ten years at most.

"W-what?!"

"Calm down, Peter and let me explain," said Mr Pettigrew, "but let's go inside first. You'll need to sit down for this."

And so spoke Mr Frederick Pettigrew, explaining to his son how he died most nobly, defending his friends against the terrible Death Eaters.

The story had to be paused several times over due to the overwhelmed Peter bursting into tears at the realization that he was dead.

"Are any of the others dead?" he asked at last.

"None of those you were close to," said Mr Pettigrew, "though that Ravenclaw you had trouble befriending at first lost his grandfather in the battle."

"Severus' grandad?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"I hope he's alright," said Peter dismally.

"There is a bit of good news though," said his father kindly.

"Good news that can conquer the bad news that I am dead?" asked Peter doubtfully.

"Depends how you look at the situation, son. You see, your death didn't just help to save your friends' lives, it has also restored the life of another."

"What do you mean?"

"Your friend in the Hospital Wing, Master Lupin. The news of your death pulled him out of his stupor. He's back in the right state of mind. He, like your other friends, are heavily grief-stricken, of course, but they're trying to see the positive side, such as the boy's recovery."

"I'm so glad he's okay," said Peter with a small smile, "I just wish I could have been there to see him recover. He was my best friend."

"I know, son, and I think that's wonderful, considering what he is."

"What you mean, Dad?"

"Oh, yes, of course, you never knew…I think of all the people who did find out, Remus would have found it harder to tell you about his secret."

"What secret, Dad?"

"Ah, well, um…y'see, Remus Lupin is a werewolf."

Peter was stunned. He had certainly not expected his father to say that sentence. To Peter, there was no predicting that.

"Remus is a…a-a werewolf?"

"Yes, he contracted the disease at a young age, and has been hiding it since. Dumbledore helped him get into Hogwarts in spite of his condition and eventually had that Whomping Willow made to give Remus a place to transform safely without harming anyone."

"T-the Whomping Willow?"

The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place for Peter. The night James and Sirius really started to respect Severus was when they nearly got hurt by something inside the Whomping Willow. Could it be…?

"Yes, son," said Mr Pettigrew, "your friends had a narrow escape with Remus once in first year, but the Prince boy saved them. That's why you all became friends in the end."

"Wow…and they kept Remus' secret anyway."

"Indeed so."

"Wow…"

Peter realized suddenly that out of all the things that made him nervous in life, he had ironically been best friends with someone who would be judged by the majority of the Wizarding World as a Dark creature.

He couldn't help but smile a little at the irony.

"As it happens, your friend, Remus is not the only one who kept secrets from you and the others. In fact, his secret was hardly well hidden compared to another of your pals."

"Who else was lying to us, Dad? Is he or she a Death Eater trainee?!"

Peter sounded panicked but his father quickly appeased him.

"Nothing like that, though it is very serious and quite exceptional. I'll leave it there for now though, son…right now, I want us to get reacquainted. And you have all of eternity to learn more about your friends still alive."

In what seemed like an eternity, and yet as though no time passed at all…if that made sense, Peter had seen and reacquainted with all of his lost relatives in his family, including those he had never met. And he loved every one of them. He even found a best friend (in Heaven's perspective) in a long dead distant cousin, who had his personality traits down to a tee, Paul Pettigrew.

Peter and Paul had lots of fun exploring the Heavens together, and it was on one such exploration that Peter saw a figure ahead of him.

She looked very familiar and yet he didn't recognise this woman who seemed to be in her early twenties, though she had a striking similarity to his fellow Gryffindor, Lily Evans.

"Hello, Peter," she said.

The woman looked slightly apprehensive at the sight of Peter, which puzzled him.

"Do I know you?" he asked shyly.

"Not strictly speaking, no…but I kinda know you."

"How?"

"Well, Peter…I am Lily Evans…or rather Lily Potter."

"Whaa?!"

"It's very hard to explain," said Lily Potter, "but there is more than one universe in Creation and um, well, I come from another one. All life from all universes come here upon death. It's the union of Existence here in Heaven. I died at the age of 21 in my universe protecting my son, Harry Potter."

"Potter…so you married James Potter in your world?"

"Yes," replied Lily with a smile, "our universes have specific differences."

"So…why are you…here? Is your world's me here?" Peter looked around with interest at meeting himself.

"You met him before…in your nightmares…" said Lily gravely.

"Wait…that dream when I was on fire…that was your version of me?" Peter shuddered at what that implied.

"Yes…he made terrible mistakes and it cost him his chances of coming here…but he was given a chance of saving you from making the same mistakes. He may well be granted forgiveness too one day…but his efforts in helping you came with the cost of your own life. You took his advice a little too far."

"I don't really regret dying for my friends," insisted Peter.

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor," said Lily approvingly.

Peter blushed and his cousin chuckled.

"Why did you die? Why would your son need saving?"

"Voldemort was destined to fall by my son's hand…he ultimately did fall seventeen years after my death. Harry won."

"So…are you destined to die in my universe too?" asked Peter despondently. "Was my death in vain?"

"Nope…your universe has an advantage that mine did not," said Lily confidently.

"Oh?"

Lily smiled like a detective about to reveal the murderer.

"Severus Snape."

At that moment, Mr Pettigrew appeared.

"I thought you'd find them by yourself, son," he said.

"W-what does Severus have to do with all this?" asked Peter puzzledly.

"The Severus you knew…is my Severus from my universe. Like your alternate self, he made many mistakes, which for now shall remain undisclosed…but he made amends but was left here without a happy afterlife to come home to…so the Higher Ones granted him a reward…find his happiness in a new universe…your universe."

Peter was not at all sure how to comprehend all of this information, and the revelation that Severus Prince was in fact, a soul from an alternate universe took the biscuit, or certainly the Acid Pop.

"He…but…"

"I get that it's a lot to take in, Peter," said Lily. "The only reason that I've come at all is because…well, Sev has his ways of contacting the dead. I have a feeling, considering how badly he feels for the deaths in Hogsmeade, he will be more than keen to meet with you."

"How can he?" asked Peter in astonishment.

"Did your mother ever read you _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_?" asked Lily.

"Yes?"

"Well, the _Tale of the Three Brothers_ is actually partially true. Specifically, the objects made by Death. The Resurrection Stone is amongst them. It's real and Severus has been using it to contact us and obtain information on how to defeat Voldemort for good."

Peter flinched at the name, but Lily giggled.

"You've nothing to fear here, Peter. Not ever again. Voldemort can't touch us up here. He fears coming here…not that he ever will."

Peter felt some immense relief at those words. Lily was right. He could literally never feel pain, torture or despair in Heaven. He had nothing to fear in Paradise. It made him feel very happy.

"It would be nice…to see my friends again…I thought I never would."

"It's _never_ goodbye forever, Peter," said his father.

"And even without the Stone, our friends and loved ones will always inevitably come here one day. I still await the reunion with my son. The true one. But time is not much of an issue up here. It could seem like forever one minute and then when you see and get what you want, it'll be as if no time passed at all."

Lily looked beyond Peter in a dreamy way.

Peter smiled some more.

"I think I will like it here," he said quietly.

Paul and Mr Pettigrew smiled appreciatively.

"There's just one thing…"

"What's that?" asked Lily.

"I wish I could have been of more help to my friends. I may have died to protect them…but that just means I can never help them again."

"Actually…there may still be a way…"

"Huh? How?"

Mr Pettigrew frowned. This Lily Potter has a sort of Dumbledore-ish quality about her. Recruiting a pawn to help her achieve her own ends, whether or not it was for the good of others. The only consolation in this is that it would ultimately make his son happy, and unlike the Dumbledores of the universes in life, Lily wasn't placing Peter in danger for the sake of her mission, since in Heaven, there wasn't anything to fear or be harmed by.

Lily explained how she, Ariana and Helena were helping Severus destroy Voldemort by hunting and tracing the Horcruxes. Peter was fascinated and was keen to help. It was decided that he would join in this quest. He had no qualms about it. Once upon a time, he couldn't see himself being brave enough to speak Voldemort's name, let alone play a role in his destruction. And now, although he was now able to avoid conflict by dying in battle, quite painlessly, he might add, he was now being able to show courage by helping take down the Darkest Wizard of all time, and of all universes too.

After a while, he, Paul and his father went back home. He had plenty of time, all eternity, to catch up and work on the mission. And right now, after all the information he had just digested, he decided it was time to step back for a short while and sleep on it. If he could sleep in Heaven, that is.

 **A/N: Sorry that this chapter is long overdue and rather small. I've had some writers' block after graduating from university. Trust me, you tend to find writing to be more of a chore than a pleasure after dedicating 3 years to fulfilling writing assignments that suit lecturers more than yourself! I hope this will be a good enough compensation, along with the promise that I will update quicker next time! Enjoy! Thanks for reading! Please review! Chapter 49 coming soon-er!**


	49. Chapter 49: The Reunions

**Chapter 49: The Reunions**

The lack of Christmas cheer was poisonous and yet to everybody in the Prince and Evans families, necessary. The absence of Septimus, the depression of Desdemona in particular, the mourning through the whole group was just too much to ignore in favour of festivities and frivolities and feasts. It would seem like an insult not just to Septimus' memory, but to those others who died in the Battle of Hogsmeade.

Dumbledore had written to Severus the day before Christmas to let him know that several more bodies had been discovered on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, including Zeus Gardner, Madam Rosmerta's mother and several Death Eaters, including Evan Rosier's father.

Severus informed Lily privately, and both bore a moment of silence on behalf of the newly dead that were on their side.

"Guess we'll need a new caretaker as well as a new and proper Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," she said.

"Yeah," said Severus dully.

There was only one thing that brought a smile to Lily, Severus and Rose's faces, and that was the long-awaited reconciliation of Petunia and Trevor. It would seem that saving your daughter's life and defending her honour at the same time was more than enough to earn forgiveness from said daughter. Petunia seemed inseparable from her father over Christmas. She always paid compliments to his strength and his courage, which, now Lily came to think of it, must have been where she gained her own Gryffindor bravery from. On top of that, she smothered her father with affection, made him tea and cookies, not that she didn't do that for the others as well for propriety's sake, but she always served him first.

Trevor and Rose were delighted to have their eldest child back, but their own emotions were still conflicted with the horrors they faced in Hogsmeade. It made them reconsider the wonderful world that their daughter was adopted into…did she have to belong there? Was Petunia spared from the death trap that is witchcraft? Was her being left out a blessing disguised as a curse?

They wanted to approach the subject with Lily. But they also knew that she was never going to walk away from Hogwarts, her true world…and Severus. They still spoke to her. The outcome was as inevitable as they had imagined. Lily snapped at them for even considering that she would think twice about defending her friends and world from the Darkest Wizard who had ever lived.

"He killed Peter! Severus' grandad! I can never forgive him! I can't turn my back on all this, Mum! And you know that! You too, Dad! Hogwarts is as much my home as here! Maybe even more so! Here is all Muggle! I'm sorry, but I am not a Muggle! I'm a Muggle-born witch and proud of it! Every syllable of it! I will not run from the war, anymore than you two did, than your own parents did! I WON'T!"

Rose cuddled the distressed Lily to soothe her.

"We won't stand in your way, Lily…but know how painful this is for us. We will always be fearful for your safety."

"Nowhere in the Wizarding World is as safe as Hogwarts is. And after this, I doubt Hogsmeade visits will be allowed again, until Voldemort is taken out."

Rose and Trevor saw the sense in that. They knew from the Princes just how well fortified the castle was, and they had great respect for Dumbledore too.

And so, the matter was dropped and because of Lily's strong reaction, it was concluded with the most emphatic finality.

New Year came and went too. Severus was looking forward to returning to Hogwarts, partly to be able to speak with Lily Potter again and partly to get away from the miserable atmosphere. Desdemona was growing thinner and inconsolable by the day, Eileen was crying into Robin's shoulder on a daily basis and he couldn't stop the nagging in his system at the knowledge that Septimus Prince was dead. The funeral of Septimus was a morbid affair, and Desdemona had to be restrained from jumping into the earth with her husband's coffin. The sight of that made Severus want to throw up, but he managed to restrain himself as he restrained his grandmother.

Sadly, neither Severus nor Lily were able to attend the funeral of Peter Pettigrew. His mother asked for privacy as she laid her son to rest. Only members of her family went there, much to James and Sirius' deep resentment. However, they kept their tempers and vented their frustrations through correspondence amongst the Union, Severus and Lily included.

Another reason that Severus felt no reason to celebrate the New Year was that due to the circumstances of everything that had happened, he was simply too low-spirited to approach Lily and confess his love for her as he had planned. Septimus was likely rolling in his grave for this, but he couldn't bring himself to bring something pleasant to the table when his grandmother was suffering depression, one of his friends was placed in the earth and his own grief was being sustained to show some strength for his mother and grandmother.

A few days later, Severus and Lily found themselves on Platform Nine and Three Quarters, ready to continue their fourth year at Hogwarts. But they were still very much single and best friends only, even though they both knew they wanted much more. Eileen embraced Severus. She seemed gaunter than ever at the fact that Severus was leaving her.

"I'll write twice as often as usual, Mum," promised Severus.

"You don't need to, darling…just be safe," whispered Eileen.

Severus nodded.

"And you."

They somehow both knew that he was going to keep the promise anyway. He felt it was necessary to keep track on Eileen's mental health. He would also owl post to Robin as well to be absolutely sure.

Lily was cuddled by her parents and sister, who were as reluctant to let her go than ever.

"Please keep in touch, honey," said Rose.

"I will."

"And don't let your friends out of your sight," added Trevor, secretly meaning the other way round.

"I will."

"And…be careful," said Petunia weakly.

"I will, Tuney," replied Lily, less exasperated by her sister's humble tone.

After the final hugs of farewell, Severus and Lily boarded the train and went to find the rest of the Union after being waved off and vanishing in a cloud of steam.

They soon found the Union in the third coach along from their own with an expanded compartment. James and Sirius were still complaining about not being invited to Peter's funeral. But some of the Union were actually smiling. What about, Severus and Lily couldn't begin to fathom.

"Hey, guys," said Lily as they entered.

The atmosphere turned to 100% gloomy once more when the Union saw Severus walk in, looking slightly thinner than he seemed to be before the battle.

"Hi," came the morose monotone of responses.

"No need to be glum on my account," said Severus automatically.

No-one said a word.

But after a time, the silence became too much and Lily broke it with a question that had a slight accusatory ring to it.

"What were some of you smiling about before we came in?"

The smiles almost instantly returned, and those who weren't smiling before, such as James and Sirius, began to show some cheerfulness as well.

"James told us some great news when we were seated," said Alice.

"Wanted it to be a surprise," said Mary crossly, "wish he'd told us sooner. May have given us more to celebrate than mourn!"

James looked slightly abashed at his silence. He looked to Lily and Severus, half-exhilarated, half-afraid of their reactions. And then he said:

"Remus has fully recovered."

Severus and Lily were torn. Torn between cheering and grinning their faces off to celebrate Remus' return, or yelling and tearing James' face off for not telling them all sooner.

"He cannot wait to see you guys," added James swiftly, "though he feels a bit fragile and is also deeply upset about Peter. He doesn't want any drama on his account."

"All the luckier for you then," sneered Severus.

James had the tact to look ashamed.

"Sorry, guys," he said humbly.

"As you should be, young man!" snapped Lily, her arms folded, making Severus think of her mother in a bad mood.

"Young man?" teased James. "We're the same age."

"True, but I'm older than you by just under two months!"

"Details, details…old girl!"

Rebecca, Alice, Mary and Marlene gasped. They knew after nearly four years that you should never, _ever_ insult Lily Evans, even in a bantering way…and not expect there to be consequences. Severus couldn't suppress a grin of relish as he saw Lily's face gradually turn red with rage that clashed with her hair.

"I don't think I must have heard right, Mr James Potter," she said in a dangerously calm voice, "could you repeat that, please?"

Before James could begin to dig himself out of the hole that he had placed himself in, the compartment door opened and two fellow fourth years leered in most unwelcomingly.

"What are you two doing in here?" snapped Quincey.

"Just seeing how the House Union is coping after we managed to eliminate one or two of its contenders," replied Mulciber maliciously.

"Say that again to my face!" roared Sirius, his wand outstretched, firm and direct to the Slytherin's heart.

"We don't need to prove ourselves to you…we already have to the Dark Lord by taking out Gardner," sniggered Avery.

"…That was you two?!" spluttered Severus in horror.

"Maybe we dealt the final blow, or maybe not," said Mulciber with pride. "And feel free to tell your precious Dumblebore! He expels us, we just go straight to the Dark Lord and claim the rewards of our loyalty!"

Everybody was speechless, too stunned to talk. They had as good as confessed, with pride and joy, that they had killed the school caretaker. And for what? To please Voldemort and to make themselves look competent and powerful.

Severus was the only one who wasn't surprised at their ruthlessness. He stepped up to them.

"I promise you that I will ensure that you both rot for this…you're as much to blame for what happened to Peter…to my grandfather-"

"Oh yeah! About that, how's Nanny doing without Gwandpa? I bet the old bag's deteriorating without her big boy-!"

Avery never finished the sentence. He and Mulciber were blasted into the corridor, covered in tentacles, boils and severe burns to their faces.

Severus, James, Quincey and Sirius had struck all at once.

It had taken everything in Severus' power not to use Sectumsempra on the two killer boys. He wouldn't have regretted it for a moment, but he knew it would lead to one too many questions.

"They're…vile….so disgusting!" panted Mary.

"What do you expect from bigots like them?" huffed Marlene, who also looked pale.

"Leave them there, Sev," said Lily softly. "They're not worth any more of your effort."

Severus agreed but fully intended to tell Dumbledore about their open confession.

After some time alone, recapping their most depressing Christmases to date, the Union began to change into their robes and treated themselves to the food from the trolley lady. Nobody played games but they did exchange some pleasantries before the train finally pulled back into Hogsmeade Station.

This was where the whole group froze.

The carriages drawn by the Thestrals were going to take them through Hogsmeade Village…up the path to the castle where Peter died…

"I don't know if I can do this," whispered Lily.

"We have to," replied Severus, though he wasn't as firm as he had sounded.

He still had difficulty facing the Whomping Willow and its passage to the Shrieking Shack…and the Astronomy Tower where he killed the original Dumbledore.

But the rest of the Union were just as uneasy. Regulus and Narcissa were frozen to the spot, both still unhappy with their altered circumstances and that battle in that village was the final straw that led to their estrangements from their family.

Just then, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick appeared, the latter looking much better after his own experiences.

"Professor Dumbledore thought it in your best interests to Apparate up to the front gates with us…to avoid certain memories," said McGonagall.

"Hagrid can't Apparate, so we volunteered for the task," added Flitwick.

The House Union was very grateful and in pairs of two, McGonagall and Flitwick Apparated the members to the gates. Severus went with Lily, Quincey with Mary, Narcissa with Alice and vice versa.

Soon, they were all there just prior to the rest of the students.

Severus and Lily led the way up to the castle alongside McGonagall, whom had yet to greet the first years, while Flitwick waddled on ahead into the Great Hall. Severus wanted to avoid the carriages arriving. He knew now that he would be able to see the Thestrals, his new life tainted with death once again.

Soon, they were back in the castle and without any hesitation or even any communication with one another, the Union entered the Great Hall and sat at their respective tables. Lily squeezed Severus' hand tightly just before doing so.

Severus sat with Quincey, Nora and Elizabeth at the Ravenclaw table silently. Severus stared blankly at his empty plate. Then he decided he couldn't wait much longer to see Lily and maybe even Peter and Septimus again, so he looked up at Dumbledore who was sitting in his accustomed chair at the teachers' table. He pleaded through Legilimency to be able to visit his office after the feast. The small smile and wink that followed gave Severus the affirmative he desperately desired.

"Um, Severus…isn't that your stepdad?" asked Quincey.

"What?"

Severus looked at where Quincey was glancing in surprise. To his own shock, there sat between Professors Sprout and Vector, was Robin.

"What's he doing here?" gasped Severus. "He's supposed to be looking after Mum!"

"Well, Lily's dad killed the last Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," suggested Nora logically, "maybe Dumbledore recruited your stepfather to stand in until next year."

"I hope not! Someone needs to be there for Mum!"

Severus was trembling. What if being without her father and husband, looking after her mother and a business became too much for Eileen?

"This'll cheer you up, Severus," said Elizabeth, "look at the Gryffindor table."

Severus looked over and saw Remus walking over to join Sirius and James. Lily and the others all greeted him affectionately. After a few minutes, Remus' eyes caught Severus' and they exchanged a quiet nod of friendship and mutual understanding. They had a lot to say to one another, but it would have to wait.

After ten minutes, when every student was seated, Dumbledore rose to his feet

"Welcome back to Hogwarts for the Spring term," he said pleasantly.

There were murmurs of thanks and approval across the Hall.

"Before we begin our feast, I would just like to announce some new changes to the staff," continued Dumbledore, "first, I would like to introduce our new caretaker, Mr Apollyon Pringle, who will be replacing our sadly passed Zeus Gardner."

Severus recalled Pringle as being originally the caretaker in Arthur and Molly Weasley's day in the old universe. Perhaps he would be around longer this time round and there may not be an Argus Filch to disdain the halls of Hogwarts. But then again, Pringle didn't look like the kindest of men either.

"And secondly, I wish to introduce a temporary new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, a Professor R. Kennedy."

There was a louder applause for Robin, particularly from the House Union. Severus however didn't clap, and he was looking at his stepfather with the most accusatory expression he could muster.

Robin shook his head softly, without smiling. He mouthed the word, 'Tomorrow.' Severus huffed and looked away from him in anger.

"And lastly, I wish to welcome back among the students, a young man who suffered a terrible head trauma more than a year ago and is now once again back to health. Welcome back, Remus Lupin."

The most enthusiastic applause of all came to this announcement, and Remus shyly nodded to the other tables. Only Melody was clapping with pleasure at the Slytherin table. Regulus still had his doubts and Narcissa barely knew the Gryffindor.

"Let the feast begin!"

The students and teachers all tucked into the food. Severus kept glancing either at Robin or Remus or Lily. The latter always smiled at him when he did.

After a lengthy shared meal, in Severus' case, roast chicken with parsnips, boiled potatoes and gravy blended with red wine, Dumbledore called attention to the school once more.

"I think after our indulgence and introductions; I feel it is necessary to bring to the stand what is on many people's minds. Less than a month ago, Hogsmeade was attacked by Death Eaters, and two of our own students made the ultimate sacrifice…Peter Pettigrew…"

He conjured and lit a red candle and hovered it to hang over the Gryffindor table.

"…and Felix Williams."

A second candle, this time yellow and hovering over the Hufflepuff table. was lit.

Several bereaved moans had sounded for Peter's mention, but the latter made one girl at the Gryffindor table whimper in despair. Severus recognised her as Emmeline Vance, remembering that she had been badly injured in the battle and had lost her boyfriend, Felix, in the process.

Her friends gave her a reassuring hug or pat on the shoulder. Lily looked pained too and then looked over to Severus. He looked equally saddened and soon all of the students were looking up at the two candles in respectful silence.

However, much to Severus' rage, some Slytherins could be heard, at least from where he was sitting, to be saying harsh and jeering things like: "Well, what do you expect to happen to a Hufflepuff in a battlefield?" or "Well, Pettigrew was always a wimp!" and "I heard he pissed his pants before he was killed."

Severus was about to leap up and curse the insolent little bastards for their lack of compassion and their crude insults to his friend's memory as well as his distant ally's. But Quincey seized his wrist and shook his head with a warning look.

Severus inhaled deeply and let his frustrations out calmly as he resumed his silent seated position.

"In their memories, we must remember to stand strong and together in the dark and difficult times to come. Like Peter and Felix, we must all choose between what is right and what is easy one day. I trust everybody here to follow their shining example and do what is right…and for those who fear for your safety even here, let me assure you that no harm will come to you here in this school. It is heavily defended, and Lord Voldemort will not penetrate the walls for as long as I am Headmaster."

There were hisses of fear at the sound of Voldemort's name, but also exhales of relief at Dumbledore's confidence in their safety.

"However, for some bad news, as an additional safeguard for your safety, I and the staff have officially decided that until further notice, there will be no more visitations to Hogsmeade."

This news seemed only to enrage the Slytherins, or at least some of them, but due to the circumstances of the last visit, the news of Hogsmeade trips being suspended didn't devastate anybody else as much as one would have suspected a month ago.

"That is all for tonight. I believe we would all appreciate a good night's sleep. Enjoy your new term here!"

With that, the students were dismissed, and Severus played a new excuse to avoid the common room.

"Ugh! I knew those potatoes were crappy! I need to go to the Hospital Wing!" he groaned, clutching his stomach.

"Need help?" asked Quincey.

"No, no…I-I'll manage. Go on ahead."

Severus went on his way before Quincey could argue further and set his diverted course to the Headmaster's office.

Realizing he didn't know the password upon arrival, Severus tried his luck by telling the gargoyle statue that Dumbledore was expecting a Severus Prince.

"Just so," said the gargoyle, "but in future reference, he wishes to give you a permanent password. One that lasts every time you are needed or you wish to see the Headmaster yourself. It is 'Alternate.'"

"Good to know," said Severus, "thank you."

The gargoyle moved and Severus went up the staircase, nervous at the idea of seeing his loved ones who were dead…the idea of seeing his grandfather in that non-solid form seemed to churn his heart. Of all people, Severus didn't think death would affect him so much, having experienced it first-hand, but he still felt mourning, loss and grief.

Dumbledore welcomed him, looking slightly downhearted himself.

Severus told him about his confusing emotions.

"It is true that you have more knowledge than anybody that death is not the end or the final goodbye," said Dumbledore in a philosophical way, "but to not feel the tragedy and the extensive absence of those people and their hugs and their personal traits that you loved about them…well, that would only make you less human, Severus. Your grandfather and Mr Pettigrew may not be gone forever, via the Resurrection Stone and the beyond of life…but until you're on the same celestial plane as them, yes, you will continue to feel the emptiness where their own lives used to be."

Severus understood. Somehow, Dumbledore had managed to relate his mourning to how different he was to Voldemort.

"Now…perhaps you would like the opportunity to meet with them again sooner than even they had imagined?"

"Yes, please, sir."

Dumbledore deposited the Stone before his student and friend.

"Best of luck…and if I may impose, Severus…do apologise to Mr Pettigrew for me."

He turned away and retreated to his quarters. Severus understood after a moment; Dumbledore's arrival had been what had distracted Peter at the fatal moment in the battle. Dumbledore must have felt some of the responsibility for what had happened to the young Gryffindor.

"I will, sir," he said quietly, just before the door closed.

Alone in the office, except for Fawkes and the snoozing portraits, Severus turned the Stone thrice in hand.

"Hi, Severus."

There in front of him was Lily Potter. But she wasn't alone, just as Severus had hoped. On either side of her were two other spectral forms. The forms of a shy yet awestruck Peter Pettigrew, and a firm and stern Septimus Prince.

Severus couldn't help but squirm under his grandfather's stare. He must now know the truth about his grandson. That may also explain Peter's expression too. He finally looked back to Lily. She looked like she wanted to double over in laughter.

"Your face is priceless, Sev!"

 **A/N: Here's Chapter 49! I hope you all like it! I don't own HP much to my annoyance or I'd make this story canon in Severus' perspective! He deserves a happy ending! Chapter 50 coming soon! And it will have an event that will celebrate that the story has reached 50 chapters! I hope you'll like it and continue to read beyond 50! Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	50. Chapter 50: The Ultimate Union

**Chapter 50: The Ultimate Union**

 **A/N: I am so, so sorry it took so long. I have graduated from university and have started a new job. It is taking a lot of getting used to, due to alternating shifts and it being a year since I had to work. I hope to continue writing at a quicker pace. I have no intention of quitting this story before completion. Please enjoy, and I hope the contents are an appropriate way to celebrate this awaited update and the 50** **th** **Chapter of Severus' Lily! Please review!**

There was no doubt in Severus' mind that Septimus had a stern expression fixated on him due to the likelihood that he knew all about his grandson's more than felonious past in a different universe. And despite the humour in Lily's words, Severus felt cornered. He even glanced backwards towards the office door, keen to drop the Stone and make a run for it-

"Severus Prince, look here at once!"

Septimus' voice boomed in spite of his corporeal form and left quite the impact in Severus' paranoid and nervous soul.

He awkwardly turned back to look into his dead grandfather's eyes. He also noticed Lily's attempts to stifle laughter and Peter's continuing awe at the sight of him. He was also looking at himself with interest. Severus knew he would look upon himself as a spectral being with the keenness of a scientist if he were in Peter's position.

"Severus!"

The young man looked back to his grandfather with full attention.

"So…two lives?"

"Y-yes, Grand- Mr Prince."

Severus was certain that he had lost his right to call Septimus his grandfather when the latter learned the truth of his two lives.

"Mr Prince? Don't be dense, lad! I'll always be your grandad!"

Severus looked up again in surprise.

"I understand that you've made many mistakes in your original life…but you impressed these Higher Ones so much with your loyalty to young Lily, that you earned your current life. And from all I've seen so far, you have certainly not been wasting your second chance! I'm proud of you!"

Severus couldn't keep from blushing. He still wasn't too used to praise, especially about anything concerning his original life. Lily was now spluttering with laughter at the sight of Severus' abashed appearance. Peter, ever the follower, only joined in after Lily gave in.

"Now, I don't want you to feel a failure over what happened to me, Severus," said Septimus firmly.

"Nor me, I did what I was meant to do, Severus," added Peter.

Severus had never seen Peter Pettigrew look so confident and certain of himself before, even during the final moments of his life. As brave as Peter had acted, he was indeed terrified, but he looked past his fears and acted like the brave Gryffindor that the Sorting Hat had twice judged him to be.

"I still…I just wish I could have…"

"Saved us? I admit that I will miss Desdemona and Eileen greatly, but if this encounter proves anything, death isn't really goodbye. I will see you all again in due course. My only regret really is that I didn't have more time to spend with you and Eileen. I will always regret that…but I'm quite content here. And Heaven will be perfect when my family is all there too. I can be patient. And you can surely keep in touch with me with that remarkable object of yours any time."

Septimus was looking at the Resurrection Stone with fascination.

"Yeah…I guess that's true…I wish I could show it to Nanny. Mum might…"

"That would be lovely of you, Severus."

"I'll ask Dumbledore after tonight."

Then Peter spoke up, showing some of his nervousness again.

"S-Severus…did you…?"

"Did I what?"

"Hate me because of what the Peter in your world did…"

"Yes," admitted Severus.

Peter's shoulders slumped dismally.

"So…we were never friends?"

"You earned my respect eventually when you stood up to Malfoy that day," said Severus, "and even more impressive, you struck a nerve with him. Otherwise, I don't think he'd have been so determined to kill you off first."

Peter smiled.

"And I did warm up to you as a friend in the end," assured Severus. "I wouldn't have started hanging out with you more otherwise. But I do admit that the majority of my reason for befriending you was to make sure you didn't make the same mistakes as your predecessor…though look how that worked out."

"I don't care. I'd sooner die young and as a hero than die old and a disgrace to my family, friends and to Gryffindor," replied Peter optimistically, "and like your grandad, I'm happy up in Heaven! My cousin and I have become good friends, Lily has taken me on board to help out with the Horflux hunt-"

"Horcrux," corrected Severus and Lily in dull unison.

"Yeah, that! And Dad's with me too! It's wonderful…my only real regret was not being able to see Remus recover…I saw him as my best friend."

"He might never have recovered if it wasn't for what happened to you, Peter," said Severus truthfully. "It was the shock of knowing his best friend had died that brought him back from the hole he was in."

Peter felt rather pleased that he had not only died to save his friends, but had also influenced his best friend to get better again.

"I wish I had the chance to say goodbye to everyone, but for now, I'm happy to start off with you, Severus."

"Thanks, Peter, much obliged," replied Severus.

"I wish I could ask you to wish Remus my best."

"He knows, I'm sure," said Septimus.

"He knew how much you cared for him. James and the others will have let him know how often you came to look after him in the Hospital Wing," added Lily.

"Thanks, everyone," said Peter in an emotional tone.

"There's more that you need to know, Sev," said Lily after a long pause.

"What?" asked Severus.

"Malfoy killing Peter was his full initiation into the Death Eaters. He's been praised highly by Voldemort for his efforts in killing a Blood Traitor and a Death Eater to boot. Voldemort is also very impressed that he did it right in front of Dumbledore and saved Bellatrix from capture to boot."

"I should have guessed…any news on the Cup, Locket and the diary yet?"

"No, though Nagini is almost always with Voldemort now," said Lily. "She only leaves his side when he sends her off to kill off the odd Muggle or Wizard."

"Maybe we can tell Severus the next mission she gets sent on, then he and Professor Dumbledore can destroy her!" suggested Peter keenly.

"No," said Severus grimly, "she's the only Horcrux that Voldemort keeps a firm eye on. If we go after her now, he'll catch on to what we're doing. We have to save her for last."

Peter seemed crestfallen but then piped up again.

"I could keep an eye on Voldemort and Nagini so that I could warn you and Dumbledore of certain plans or ambushes whenever we meet here?"

"There's an idea," said Severus, "Dumbledore would certainly approve of that. An impenetrable spy in the camp!"

Lily beamed.

"He's also going to help us keep an eye on the families who came to possess the Horcruxes," she added, "to give Helena, Ariana, James and I a break from time to time."

"That's a lot of responsibility, Peter," said Severus critically, "are you sure?"

"I am! And my cousin Paul said he'd help too!"

"Pleased to know I have a small Order helping me," smirked Severus.

"Or your own Army?" added Lily.

"Is that meant to be a reference to Pot- your boy's insufferably disobedient youth club?" asked Severus, with a hint of resentment.

"Yes, I believe it is," replied Lily innocently and proudly.

Severus rolled his eyes, but then the thought of Dumbledore's Army made him remember.

"Peter…Dumbledore wished to bestow upon you his deepest apologies."

"Why?"

"I think he feels that if he hadn't intervened when he did, you'd have not been killed."

Lily knew Dumbledore was capable of feeling something as silly as that. She recalled watching over his conversation with Harry after Sirius died. She could tell that another reason he felt he was to blame for the man's death was his untimely interruption in the Department of Mysteries. She even heard him say to Minerva McGonagall a day after that:

 _"_ _Sirius may not have been distracted, but the other Order members were…someone may have been able to protect him."_

 _"_ _If you couldn't have, nobody could, Albus," was McGonagall's curt response._

 _"_ _Sorry to bother you with this, Minerva. Jawed at by an old man just past his prime."_

That was one of the few rare occasions that Lily had heard anything remotely close to a chuckle come from the stiff Deputy Headmistress.

"There's nothing for him to be sorry about," said Peter with a small smile.

"I'll let him know," said Severus quietly.

"Oh, we all have some advice for you before you bugger off back to the living, lad," said Septimus.

There was something in his haunting eyes that made Severus think he didn't like where this was going.

"We all spoke a little before your meeting us tonight," said Lily, "as it was obvious that you'd want to speak with all of us."

"And we agreed that you made one mistake over the holidays," added Peter.

"We want you to correct that mistake and not use our deaths as a flipping excuse to avoid it," said Septimus sternly.

"W-what's that?" asked Severus cautiously.

This sparked more laughter from Lily and Peter. They found the stoic boy's nervousness adorable.

"We want you to get on with asking out the Lily Evans of this world," said the former enthusiastically.

"Huh?"

"We know you avoided it because of the mourning everyone was going through," said Septimus, "but don't you think it might have made your grandmother's heart beat a bit better to know that you had a brighter future ahead of you with the girl we all know you love?"

"It...it wasn't the time," said Severus pathetically, "you had just died…it would have been…cruel to rub love in her face when she had lost yours."

"Oh, don't be such a damn fool, boy! Your grandmother loved me, yes! But she loved you almost as much, from the moment she laid eyes on you! Nothing in this world would make her happier than to see you happy, lad! You need to get on with it!"

"…But…what if…?"

"What if Lily doesn't like you?" asked the redhead in front of him.

Severus nodded sadly.

"You didn't…"

"You know full well now that I did…and if there was an inkling of love for you from a Lily who hated the Dark in his heart, imagine how much love a Lily who doesn't believe there's anything Dark about you at all has for you!"

"You're clutching at straws, boy," said Septimus with a smirk, "you're too decent by half in this timeline. You need to begin your new path, the path you sacrificed so much to earn! Your grandmother will not hate you for it, and nor I daresay will Miss Lily!"

Lily Potter looked like she could blush at the thought of another version of her approving of Severus romantically, but her current form forbad any sort of complexion alteration.

"I've been waiting for a very long time to see you show true happiness, Sev," she said, "and I've seen you become happy many times before, but we both know what would make you feel true, pure happiness and that's…the other me. A Lily Evans who is your soulmate…like you have wanted for over forty years by now…"

"Is there such a thing as soulmate?" asked Severus with a hint of bitterness. "You love Potter, Lily Evans Might love me…if soulmates existed, wouldn't they have been with the same person in every aspect of Creation? In every form of life? In every universe?"

"For your sake, let's hope your logic there is wrong," said Lily, "for if that is so, then Lily might fall for this world's James. After all, he and I did marry and become soulmates…you have yet to fulfil that, so if I was destined in every version to be with James, then what was the point? Of all this? You need to believe that this Lily loves you, Sev…you can't let your eternal doubts ruin this for you…you already made that mistake before and it cost you everything. Please don't do it again. I know you still hate James and resent Harry…and even now, I don't think you will ever be able to let go of your old life, but right now, you need to move forward, and this is the first step."

Severus looked down in shame. He had to admit to himself that he did indeed still dislike James and Harry Potter. He had decided long ago that he would never forgive James. Not only did the man win Lily's heart instead of him but he had scarred, jeered at, insulted and humiliated Severus for years, not to mention lied to Lily about it. James had ruined what was supposed to be the most wonderful home and years of Severus' life. He had gone to Hogwarts hoping for a better life away from his tyrannical father, but thanks to James and his Marauders, it had simply become a case of 'out of the frying pan and into the fire.' He couldn't bring himself to let that go, especially as it was James' taunts that had provoked Severus into making the mistake that condemned his original life. If not for James Potter, he could have had a great life in the first place…to his mind, anyway.

Harry's existence had broken his heart even more thusly; he was the living symbol of everything he had lost and he was forced by Dumbledore to give everything he had left for that symbol…to live in the shadow of the outcome of Lily's love for another man for years and not get an ounce of gratitude or closure in return.

As far as Severus was concerned, forgiving and forgetting with James and Harry was simply impossible and ludicrous.

"I'm sorry," he murmured to Lily.

"I never expected you to let it go, Sev," she said with a sad smile, "that's just not your nature. But maybe you can tolerate them once you have Lily Evans…once you and her find love, have babies, get married…be happy together."

"I don't know…I don't want to lose you again…"

"Why would you?"

"I can tolerate and respect the right you have to love those two…those…- but I cant face it. All it would ever do is remind me that I had to live twice to have anything I wanted…it might be flattering to you that my love for you earned me the rare second chance at life. But to me…it just reminds me that I had a miserable first life. I was wasted on the original world. I was nothing to anybody. Why did that have to happen to me? Why did I need a second chance at all? And you…you were willing to let me be altered and forced to become somebody else…against my will."

Lily was crying now. Septimus and Peter looked sombre.

"I…I didn't think there was any other option, Sev," she whispered, "we all thought that you had no future in Heaven because I chose James. Reincarnation was the only other option known to us."

"But you were willing to let me go…to let Severus Snape not just die but be no more…"

"Forgive me…"

"I forgave you long ago…but I don't let go…I can't forget as well as forgive without becoming somebody else…I hate your family…I always will…"

"Then start a new family…and if you need to lose me, then that's what must happen."

Severus sobbed too now. He didn't want to lose his best friend but she was attached to all that made his unhappy. The Lily who could give him happiness was his escape…but it seemed to entail letting his best friend go, maybe forever.

"Stay with me…"

"Always…now go to her. We'll figure this out another time."

Lily sounded hopeful with that last sentence.

And with what little hope he could muster, as hopelessness was all he knew since her death, Severus looked to his grandfather who nodded with aimable encouragement and to Peter, who looked at him nervously. And with a final nod of sincerity at doing what he was about to do, Severus let go of the Stone, letting it fall to the desk and departed from the office.

As Lily disappeared and reappeared alone in her room, whilst James was asleep upstairs, she shed some more tears. She was afraid…Severus still wouldn't forgive James for ruining his years at Hogwarts, for marrying her in his place, for being her soulmate. Her best friend was also adamant that it was much too late for him to forgive James, even though her husband had long forgiven him for his role in their deaths and never being able to help Harry through his life…watch him grow up…help him fly his first real broomstick…all of it…despite James' role in Severus' second chance, he couldn't let his hatred for the loss of his original life go.

On top of that, Lily was scared that by moving on with Lily Evans, she would be forgotten by her best friend. As happy as she was at the idea of Severus moving on with his true love at last, she felt equally painful despair at the thought of him not wanting anything to do with her anymore…despite his many protests to the contrary. She had promised him they would always be friends, and look how that turned out…he could break his promise too…

"Oh, Sev…please forgive us…and don't forget me…"

Without doubt or hesitation entering his mind, refusing to let it happen, Severus hastened up to the Gryffindor tower. He went stiffly and with his fists clenched, determined to fulfil the task set to him by his two friends and his grandfather. He refused to let any repercussions of failure enter his mind.

"It Has to work!"

"Severus?"

James and Sirius suddenly appeared out of nowhere, sporting the Invisibility Cloak originally.

"What are you two doing here?" asked Severus in a flustered way. "I'd have thought you were with Remus!"

"He still feels weak, he went to bed about half an hour after the feast. He wants us to have a proper reunion tomorrow," explained Sirius.

"With the Union? Good idea," replied Severus.

"So, what were you doing?" interjected James, full of curiosity.

"I asked first," said Severus defensively.

"Trying out this," said James, producing something very familiar from out of his pocket.

"That Map you were trying to make?" asked Severus with an innocent air.

"Yep, and we think we've done it!" said Sirius with glee.

"Have a look," said James.

Severus did so. The Map hadn't been concealed in the surprise of Severus' appearance and he could see the dots of individuals moving about in offices and stirring slightly in the common rooms and bedrooms.

And then he looked directly at the Gryffindor common room section, looking for Lily. And there she was, in the common room and not her dormitory, seemingly having a conversation with Mary in front of the fire.

"I came here to see Lily actually, and I can see she's still awake. If you two are heading back inside, can you tell her to come out and see me, please?"

"…At night? Is this what we've been waiting for?" asked Sirius with a keen tone.

"Are you going to bring her out to me or not?" asked Severus coldly.

"Alright, keep your hair on!"

Sirius and James whispered their password and began to climb through the portrait hole.

"And tell her to come alone," called Severus fiercely.

"Definitely the moment we've been awaiting!" sneered James as the portrait closed in on them.

Time seemed to slow to the speed of a snail for Severus. He was beginning to feel the pains of a panic attack and tried everything in his power to control his emotions, but his inability to perfect Occlumency at this juncture proved his efforts difficult and almost completely fruitless.

After what seemed like an hour in a minute, the Fat Lady moved outward to reveal a puzzled looking Lily…and Severus paled. She was wearing the same dressing gown that she wore when she terminated their friendship with the finality that decided Severus' unhappiness for a lifetime…asking her out in the same spot…was he doomed for failure, again?

"Sev? What's wrong?" asked Lily.

Severus tried hard to suppress the heartbreak, the old Lily, the pain of his old life and the fresh torments of his new life. All of it had come down to this…back to where he started when all of his true pain and loss began…he had to be, dare he say it, as brave as the Gryffindor that Lily has always been…

"I…I…need to tell you something…"

Lily's face flushed. She had an inkling that she knew where this was going and didn't interrupt. She desperately wanted her assumption to be correct.

"I…I have known you…for so long…longer than you even know…and I have always….always…"

"Severus," Lily took his hand, "…it's alright. Just be calm."

She barely felt calm herself but kept up appearances to see if Severus was about to ask what she wanted him to ask for a long time now, or what seemed like forever.

Severus felt only slightly reassured, but reassured, nonetheless.

"I…I have known this almost the moment I met you…and I have never found the courage until now…after my grandad…I decided I couldn't take any more chances or do any more procrastinating…Lily, I…"

"You…what?" Lily was panting at the adoration in Severus' voice.

They were both shaking with anticipation.

"I…love you!"

The response was instantaneous, natural and exhilarating; Lily pounced into Severus' chest, rose her head up and kissed him fully on the lips, melting into him almost before contact.

Severus had jammed. He had wanted this for two lifetimes. He craved Lily. He craved her lips, her affection…her love, for so long. And now, here, where in another world, their friendship ended, they were entering something new, something they had both wanted: a relationship.

Severus Prince and Lily Evans were officially declaring their love and were proud of it.

 **Chapter 51 coming much sooner, I hope! Again, please review!**


End file.
